The Magic Time Forgot
by The Mouse Who Roared
Summary: In which poor Hermione is thrust into the past to fix the timeline. Featuring family, friends, romance, the first wizarding war, ancient magic, and a crazed sorting hat- the Yellow House redeemed indeed. All pairings f/m.
1. Time to Turn Back the Years

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter_

 _AN: I went back and revised this chapter because frankly I was unhappy with it, and looking at the comments- quite a few agreed this chapter was just missing something. Anyway, hope you guys like the changes. To new readers, I'm glad you're only seeing this version of it :)_

* * *

 **Time to Turn Back the Years**

 _ **A Prologue**_

The floor rolled, like waves on the sea, throwing those not swallowed up into walls, stair cases, suits of armor. She'd lost them when the floor opened up, lost him. The castle shook again, a spell skitted by her head, a cackle- she had to focus.

Hermione dove behind the row of statues, letting them shield her from sight and spells alike. She tried to collect herself, as she crawled along the ground, but the whole castle seemed to be coming down around her ears.

 _'Breathe, just breathe- find Harry.'_ she muttered, ducking behind a particularly ugly statue.

"Come out, come out my little Mudblood! Auntie Bellatrix is missing her playmate; I just want to finish my work on your other arm."

Hermione heard the uneven clicking of Bellatrix's heeled gait as she loomed closer.

"You know, make them a matching set... I know you're hiding back here some- REDUCTO!"

Hermione erected a shield to cover her head as stone parts of Ignaticus the Odd rained down on her from the blast. She rolled to the left, out in the open, sending a transfiguration spell to the right of the deranged witch.

"Is that the best you can do Mudblood? I've seen better aim on a firstie! Doesn't matter whose magic you steal if you can't hit the broad side of a banshee." Bellatrix taunted as she lunged towards Hermione. However, the dark witch's laughter turned to a shriek as a now animated suit of armor swung his axe down towards her. She stumbled back to avoid being cleaved, cursing enough to make even Ron color.

Hermione used the distraction to scramble to her feet, shout a blasting curse to the ceiling, and push off around the corner towards the Great Hall as stone and parts of a chandelier came crashing to the floor behind her. She sprinted hard, gasping for breath as she wiped blood from her cheek, weaving her way through the passages and halls. She dodged the bodies littered about the corridors like rag dolls, not stopping long enough to distinguish if the black cloaks signified students or death eaters. It didn't really matter, they were the same now- dead.

She muffled a scream as the floor groaned, grabbing on to the nearest pillar for support. She released a soft sigh when the stone mostly stayed together, steadying herself on her feet as she set off.

She missed the falling wall.

When something registered in her mind again, it was pain and darkness. She felt her lungs gasping for breath, but everything hurt- she couldn't move. She tried to remain calm under the realization she was buried, but knew she would fail at that task soon. She heard a scraping above her and slowly light filtered into her senses from above.

"I found her," a dreamy voice sounded as more debris fell away. Hermione blinked her eyes rapidly, trying to focus her vision as a blonde head of hair appeared with huge bug blue eyes, "You're not where you're suppose to be 'Mione."

"No joke," Hermione coughed out with a groan.

A giggle, "Nope, not at all!" A few more pieces of rubble were lifted away and Hermione felt herself being pulled upward, her lungs gulping in air now that her chest wasn't pinned. She looked up at her savior to see Luna Lovegood, hair held out of her face by the wand tucked in it, face just as disconnected as ever.

Hermione wheezed from the ground, " I don't think I've ever been so glad to see you."

Luna smiled overly bright, "Make sure to keep that in mind over the next few days." She turned to her left, "Professor, I've got her!"

McGonnagall appeared beside Luna, "Oh thank Merlin, she's alive! Come Ms. Lovegood, help me get her up and to Dumbledore's office! Time is of the essence."

Hermione felt her vertigo tilt as she was hauled onto her feet. She held Luna in a vice grip, trying to remain standing, "I think you should go on without me. I'm not sure if I can keep up at the moment."

"Nonsense," McGonnagall scolded, "You are coming with us; it's most urgent."

"Everything is urgent," Hermione grimaced, "The castle won't hold much longer, I lost Ron and Ginny when the floor split open, and Harry is missing! He's the priority; he's who we need."

"It's all a matter of perspective," Luna hummed as they ambled down the hallway, nearing the gargoyle protecting Dumbledore's old office.

"We have a chance Ms Granger, and we're going to take it!" the Professor fixed Hermione with a stern look as they rounded the last corner, "I want you to ignore everything I told you third year."

Hermione blinked up at her head of house bewildered, ' _Third year?_ '

"Time, as it turned out, was already played with. So you don't need to worry about meddling, whatever you end up doing will just set it right!"

Hermione was relieved when the gargoyle finally came into view, she needed to sit down- nothing they were saying was making sense. If she had to guess, she had a concussion, or this was all a very bad dream. Either way she still needed to sit down.

The click of boots and a cane sounded down the corridor behind them. Luna let go of Hermione's side, letting McGonnagall support all the weight.

"I have this professor; go take care of what needs to be done!" She gave Hermione a solemn look, "Say hello to Great Auntie for me." She turned to block the corridor, guarding their backs.

"Luna?" Hermione sputtered as McGonnagall pulled her towards the statue alone, reality of what was about to happen beginning to sink in, "Luna, no!"

"Stand aside girl!" the deatheater sneered, "It's not you I'm after."

Luna's voice drifted, her eyes losing focus, "Sad, you're filled with sorrow. A void left where your heart was- anger swallowed it up."

"Just like your father, spouting utter nonsense. Now, for the last time step aside, or I will make you!"

"And end your mother's line?" She hummed, "Shall I be the last?"

"You know nothing girl!" His silver eyes bore pure loathing, glaring into her vibrant blue ones, "That mudblood is a thief!"

"Their gold eyes haunt you, but she brought them across lifetimes." Luna's eyes turned sharp as this reality snapped back to the forefront, "Or do you not want to see them again?"

"THAT'S ENOUGH BLOODTRAITOR!"

"Who's the one betraying their own blood?"

Hermione got one last glimpse back as the statue closed behind her and McGonnagall. Luna holding her ground, her empty hands spread wide as a spell shrieked towards her.

Tonks, Remus, Ron, Ginny, and now Luna. She didn't want to even think of who else, she couldn't. This battle would have no winners, just survivors. She could see it in McGonagall's eyes and knew it was in her own - the consuming emptiness.

They stumbled loudly into the office, Professor Trelawney glanced up at the bang of the door against the wall as it rebounded and slammed shut behind Hermione.

"Her!" Trelawney barked in what Hermione had dubbed her mystically grating voice, "You found her- the one out of time!"

Hermione stood flummoxed, looking to McGonagall for answers. Seeing only a guarded expression she turned back to the Divination Professor, "I beg your pardon?"

"You, Hermione." McGonagall said with a pursed looked towards Trelawney, "Are not when you were meant to be."

Hermione stared baldly at her favorite professor who she now knew war had driven off the deep end.

"I'm sorry, you'll have to run that by me again. I must have a concussion-"

"Miss Granger be silent; we haven't the time," McGonagall scolded, her brogue thick with the stress.

Hermione bit her tongue and tapped her foot, waiting for sanity to reign supreme again, at least for McGonagall- Trelawney was a hopeless case from the start as far as Hermione was concerned. She lurched to the side, latching onto a chair as the castle shook again with restless energy.

Trelawney reached for an orb and scroll about to fall while McGonagall grabbed the desk to steady herself through the tremor and motioned Hermione forward. The scroll, Hermione noted, seemed old and much perused over if the different scribbles and notes written into the margins by Dumbledore's hand were any indication.

"This," Trelawney gestured before her "is a theory about a prophecy, written by a seer after the death of a young girl and her mother. The girl's soul, was believed by the seer, to be thrust forward in time to try to correct fate. However, the soul would rejoin the world too late to fix the damage. You see the girl wasn't suppose to die all those years ago- it changed the timeline."

Hermione inched back a step, her mind whirling: prophecies were dangerous and didn't seem to do anyone any good. Harry was a living testament to that fact. Trelawney also had a penchant for grimms, death, and being ridiculous. Nope, she refused to get caught up in this nonsense.

McGonagall jumped in, "Dumbledore hunted for decades for this displaced soul and when Harry's prophecy cropped up he knew the she wouldn't be far behind. Dumbledore studied closely those around Harry, knowing history would try to right itself around the boy. After his death, while you three were on the run, I stumbled upon his research and wanted to hit the man over the head with the scroll. I knew almost immediately who it was. You, Miss Hermione, were not meant to grow up with Harry's generation- you were meant to grow up with his father's." She stared at Hermione as the castle grounds shook again.

"You must be mistaken," Hermione said aloud as her mind sputtered trying to follow along with what they were saying, "I have to find Harry; he needs me. This- whatever it is- can wait."

"No time!" Trelawney proclaimed putting herself between Hermione and the door. She spun the glass orb in her hand quickly once, then tossed it to Hermione "Time to put fate back on course. May death be slow to find you; the grimm not dog your step." Trelawney swung her wand in a complex arch.

Hermione stumbled forward to grasp the orb before it hit the floor, cradling it in her hands. She stared at it in horror as it blazed out like it was on fire. So enraptured, she missed McGonagall lining up on her other side, matching Trelawney's stance. Magic lanced through the two women, rushing towards Hermione in golden swells.

Hermione yelled in alarm as she was overrun by magic, shattering the prophecy at her feet. A voice rose from the remains, chanting in an ageless echo as Hermione felt a tug on her navel.

 _ **"Rescue those who strayed deep into the night**_

 _ **Turn back the years to change the tides**_

 _ **Redeem, Rose Daughter, your family's light**_

 _ **Your father's tears your brother cried**_

 _ **Set back to right the paths of fate**_

 _ **Where love prevails and tramples hate**_

 _ **Yellow house rise up you aren't for naught**_

 _ **Bring forth the magic time forgot."**_

Hermione's vision turned to pure light as the office door burst open and Harry stumbled in clutching a small silver vile to his chest. His green startled eyes met hers- vibrant emerald to honey gold- as the world left her.

"HERMIONE!"

"We have faith in you," murmured McGonagall softly as her favorite student vanished, the other grasping at the empty air where she had just stood. She held firm, back braced, as the backlash erupted from the magical void and rushed back towards them. "Until we meet again, Hermione," she breathed as the timeline as they knew it twinkled out of existence.


	2. In Which Paths Begin to Diverge

_**Disclaimer:** Obviously not J.K. Rowling - do not own any characters. _

_Hope you all enjoy the story :)_

* * *

 **In Which Paths Begin to Diverge**

The boy leaned against the door to his father's study, listening in to the healer as he spied through the keyhole.

"- no longer can wake- completely unresponsive- she won't last the night. As for your wife, the stage of her fever isn't too far behind. She'll slip away fast in another day or two. I don't know what it is they have; I've exhausted all possible routes. I'm so very sorry."

The healer put his hand on Papa's shoulder, but Papa pulled away as if burned.

"If that is all, you may leave."

They boy shivered, he'd never heard his father's voice sound so cold. The healer fled through the floo and Papa poured himself a drink, swallowing it back in one gulp. He turned away from the fireplace and the boy saw the dead look in his father's eyes. He pulled away from the door. Papa had promised him this morning that they were going to make it, but he knew- the cold mask upon Papa's face revealing all- they were going to die. The boy hiccuped as he tried to hold in a sob, but failed, his head bumping harshly against the door.

The man in the room stiffened, "Son, is that you?"

The boy gasped, sprinting for the stairs. He was crying and couldn't let Papa see; Papa had made him promise not to cry, it showed a doubt in their recovery. He bounded up the stairwell, the click of his father's boots chasing after him. He scrambled onto the landing, and in a panic, tears streaming down his face, he turned to his sister's room. He made to take a step when suddenly a gold wave of magic poured through her door, rushing towards him, filling the whole hallway with a fury of which he'd never seen. He shut his eyes tightly against the light, flinching away while bracing his feet and swinging his arms protectively forward. He gasped as it rammed into him, Papa's voice shouting an alarmed warning.

 _-#-_

 _\- The Magic Time Forgot-_

 _-#-_

Hermione woke with a groan. Her head was killing her and she knew Bellatrix must have done more damage than she thought. The last bit after the duel was fuzzy, a chandelier fell, George, Dumbledore's office, the orb... 'Harry!'

Hermione bolted upright, a blonde mass attempting to suffocate her. She struggled to untangle herself from her nest of hair; she had to find Harry!

'Hold on a moment.' She grabbed the white strands and pulled them towards the light of the candles. The bush of curls was correct, but the color wasn't, and were her hands smaller- paler? She glanced around the room frantically; she'd never seen this place in her life and yet part of her knew this was the safest place in the world. Familiar, yet not at all. She scrambled to get out of the bed as fear began to seize her, and was overcome with a fit of dizziness. She crashed into the chair beside the bed and knocked right into a sleeping boy.

The boy let out a shout at the impact of Hermione falling on him, startling awake. His hair was white blonde and his red rimmed gray eyes seemed familiar. He looked like he'd been crying recently, rather unprettily at that. He stared at her and his face transformed into an expression Hermione hadn't seen in a while - hope.

He grabbed her, surprising Hermione with his strength, he seemed like such a small boy. Yet he tucked her right into his chest, surrounding her with his embrace. His laughter rasped from disuse and he called out, "Papa! Papa! She's awake; Mione's awake!" His crow rose louder and more hearty with each shout, as he hugged her fiercely. A clatter of steps could be heard outside the room and the door swung off it's hinges as a man with an air of worry and franticness about him, rushed in. His clothes, expensive and usually well pressed, hung about him in dissaray, his arms shaking as he reached towards them.

Hermione's survival instincts kicked in and she cringed back from the unknown man while trying to tamp down a part of her that desired to fling herself at him. She tried to push away from the boy who had her ensnared to no avail, and braced herself for possible pain as the man loomed closer. However, he merely scooped Hermione and the boy up into his arms spinning them around. "Oh Mione, Mione! My beautiful Little Rose." He exclaimed then pulled them both close while his whole body seemed to tremble. He buried his face in her hair and just murmured her name. Hermione felt dampness on her arm and was startled to realize the boy, who was still clutching her in the inner bear hug, had started crying again.

'What is going on?!' Everything was so strange. She began preparing a barrage of questions when she noticed a movement. She glanced up through the masses of blonde hair to see a young woman, probably late 20s, leaning on the doorframe watching the scene unfold. She had long, wavy white blonde hair- a trend with these people it seemed- a warm aura about her and vibrant amber eyes identical to Hermione's own. She reminded Hermione of Luna, and she felt herself begin to calm.

"Abraxus," the woman called, "You will overwhelm her. She probably still has a slight fever even if the worst has passed. And Lucius dear, you are the best knight in the world, watching out for Mione like you do, but you are currently smothering your sister."

Both of the men slowly pulled away from Hermione with bemused and sheepish smiles about their faces. Hermione just sat on the floor where she was, trying to process the new knowledge. She knew those names, and that hair and eye color...

The woman smiled fondly and continued, "She needs to rest, not be man handled by the clingy men in her family. Put her back in bed Abraxus. Let her rest," her voice turned low and inflective, "I don't want to give Death a second chance so quickly." She leaned more heavily upon the doorway and Hermione noticed how pale and weak the woman looked.

"You are quite correct my darling!" The man stood from the ground beside Hermione and swept her up in his arms like she was but a pillow. He placed Hermione gently in the bed and kissed her forehead, "Sleep well Little Rose. We will celebrate once you are fully recovered." He smiled gently then turned towards the door and strode to the woman, his wife.

"Come along darling it's rest for you too. You are barely well yourself..." His voice sad at the end and he tucked his wife under his arm and led her down the hall.

"Lucius, let your sister rest!" the man called behind him.

"I will Papa!"

Lucius waited a heartbeat for the footsteps to be out of range, before he pulled himself from the floor and climbed on the bed beside Hermione.

Hermione watched him as he moved close, his gray eyes staring deeply into her own. She locked her eyes with his in challenge, trying to prevent the fact he was a child lull her into a false calm. She knew who he was and she glared into the face of the person, who as a man, she had most hated, Lucius Malfoy. He blinked back at her owlishly; his hair sticking up at odd angles.

Suddenly he lunged, burying his face in her shoulder, muttering, "I was scared, so scared. I don't want to be alone. Papa was scared too. Even if he wouldn't say it." He looked up again into her face, tears falling, "Don't ever leave me, Mione. Promise you'll stay."

She used the last of her strength to pull him close and shut her eyes against the memories of this life that slowly started to trickle in. After a little while, she heard Lucius' breathing even out, and she knew in that moment- despite her mind shrieking warnings of impending doom- her heart had a made a space for him.

"I promise," she mumbled as unconsciousness finally pulled her under.

 _-#-_

 _\- The Magic Time Forgot-_

 _-#-_

There were no elementary school bullies pulling her hair or making fun of her, but she had a whole new set of challenges. The most prominent one was trying to absorb her new life without it wiping out her old: Images of her no-nonsense mother, Jean Granger, overlapped with those of the gentle blonde woman, Estel, teaching her to bake while the house elves and Papa looked the other way. Her father, John Granger, reading the newspaper while smoking a pipe being moved aside by the aristocratic man, Abraxus, braiding a rose into her hair with a grin just for her. And The Lucius Malfoy, sneaking into her room during the night to read to her, pranking the house elves by pretending to give them socks- 'the irony'- sneaking out to taunt the peacocks. A whole new childhood filled with bright days and laughter inching out a lonelier one.

As the days passed she slowly began to come to grips with the moment in Dumbledore's office that reset her destiny. Corrected it, if the old bat Trelawney was to be believed. She could feel her heart beginning the painful journey of surrendering her old dreams and ambitions, preparing herself to make room for a new one- making a better future for all she had loved and will come to love.

What she thought would be her greatest hurdle, learning to tolerate the Malfoys, ended up being as natural as breathing to her new 7 yr old self. Not just tolerating them, but loving them. The cruel stories of Abraxus Malfoy, and Lucius' hatred of her blood, all banished like a bad dream in the presence of the love they showed when they merely glanced towards her or Estel. Hermione couldn't reconcile the changes; had no idea how the men before her could turn out so evil.

Clarity came upon her swifter than her mind could assimilate at the arrival to the manor of Him- Tom Marvolo Riddle.

It was just after tea on the first week since Hermione was deemed fully recovered and allowed to leave her bed. Lucius had grabbed her and the leftover biscuits off the table to drag her to feed the fish in the garden. They were trooping past the house elves who were opening the windows to air out the hall when a noise errupted from the fireplace in Papa's study a few doors back.

"Visitors!" Lucius grinned, spinning them around and racing to lean against the study door to listen in, ignoring the tutting of a nearby elf. Hermione peaked through the keyhole to have her first sight of Tom Riddle in the actual flesh. His curly dark hair glistened slightly, sticking to his forehead as if he just finished a run, and the smirk attempting to breakout on his face was poorly concealed behind a mask of sorrow. He appeared to almost be shaking with giddiness; Hermione was digusted when her traitorous 18 yr old mind had the audacity to find him even slightly attractive.

"Abraxus! There you are my poor old friend," he announced, sweeping into the room as if he owned the whole manor, let alone the study. "I was so devastated when I heard the news of your wife and daughter's death. How tragic that they would be stricken with such an obscure ailment. Who knew one could even contract murte pox in this day and age. I was in Albania when I heard and rushed back with this," he thrust a black bag forward that appeared rather sinister, "It's a rare plant I stumbled upon in my travels; it should save your son if he were to contract the pox as well. I know we haven't spoken much since your marriage, but I knew you were in need and that's what dear friends are for."

Hermione felt sick. It was all too obvious how Lord Voldemort got Malfoy senior in his strangle hold. This was the very moment it happened: a devastated widower turning back to an old friend, a seemingly savior, in his desperation to ensure the safety and protection of his sole remaining child.

Her father played the cold tactician in public, but to his family he had only love- an emotion Mama had cultivated and made to bloom. He'd do anything to keep them safe, and without Estel's wisdom to keep him on the straight and narrow that 'anything' included selling his soul to one Tom Riddle. And Riddle knew it; his timing was too perfect.

"Well?! Say something old friend. I know you're begrieved, but opportunity is knocking; you need not fear for your heir. I'm offering you hope. Take it!"

Hermione watched Papa's face move from blank to puzzled, then fill with rage before he smoothed it to a polite mask as he spun to face the bemused future dark lord. "Tom old friend, I believe you are mistaken. My wife and daughter only had a fever; they are both fully recovered! What is this murte pox you speak of? I apparently don't give Parkinson's incessant gossip enough credit if it managed to reach you all the way in Albania with such a wild tale!" He took the bag now hanging limply from Riddle's hand and set it on his desk. "You truly are a great friend to come back all this way to aid me!"

Riddle quickly recovered and sent an almost sincere looking smile back to Papa, just containing his sputtering, "Oh that's wonderful news Abraxus! I know I wasn't on board with the whole marriage initially, but that's neither here nor there. I'm truly relieved to hear she is alive and well. That's the last time I believe Parkinson's stories."

Papa patted the viper's back, "She probably just missed you and wanted to trick you into coming back. She knew you'd be here in a flash if it was to help me. I would ask you to stay for dinner, but we are dining at Estel's brother's home this evening, and we all know how Lovegood's are." He skillfully directed Tom back to the floo, "Later this week, let's go for drinks. Just the two of us, like old times!"

Riddle gave Papa a small devious smile; probably the first honest emotion, besides shock, of the whole encounter.

"I look forward to it Abraxus!" With a pinch of powder and burst of flames he was gone.

Hermione felt herself being jostled aside as Mama bustled past into the study.

"What an evil man," she seethed as she took the discarded sack and heaved it into the flames. The fire roared a ghastly red and foul smelling smoke rose from the grate.

Papa grabbed Estel and pulled her close, "Darling, Murte Pox can only be diagnosed once the patient dies since the grey spots appear post mortem. He-" Papa drew in a rattling breath, "He knew; he was certain of it. Gloating. He- "

"Hush darling, I know. I know. That man is the devil himself, but we'll be extra careful. We'll survive. No one is as clever as you!" Mama soothed his muscles and let his head rest on her shoulder.

"I didn't know it was real in school. I thought it was just a way to pass the time- a game. Had I just KNOWN the full extent of danger I was going to drag us into with HIM."

Mama shot Hermione and Lucius a look as they eavesdropped from the doorway. Hermione grabbed her brother and slunk away, her desire to play in the sun gone. Nine yr old Lucius didn't understand what had happened, but she did. A dangerous game indeed.

 _-#-_

 _\- The Magic Time Forgot-_

 _-#-_

A few weeks later Hermione was laying in bed, willing the sun to go back down like a true Malfoy, when a girlish aristocratic lilt came from outside her bedroom door, arguing with Lucius.

"Go away Lucy! You've been hogging her for weeks; it's my turn to see Mione." The doorknob shook up and down as if there was a spat over someone coming in or not. "Andy has her books, Cissy follows after you like a house elf, and you're a stupid boy. Mione is the only friend I have, so go braid Cissy's hair and let me be!"

The door handle finally went down and the door opened a smidge before slamming shut. Hermione heard her brother bemoan a banged toe as soft footsteps pattered rapidly towards the bed. Hermione glared from under her pillow as a mop of wild dark hair appeared and dark eyes blinked at her. Hermione's mind stuttered to a stop as it tried and failed to piece together what was in front of her. The little girl tackled her with a fierce cry, and Hermione screamed in pure terror as her mind flung her back to the other timeline.

Lucius swung open the door and practically flew into the room with a little blonde shadow following behind. Hermione lept off the bed and cowered in a corner as seven yr old Bellatrix Legstrange sat stunned amidst Hermione's covers looking close to tears.

Lucius jumped between Bellatrix and Hermione, bewildered as to what was going on but willing to protect his sister from whatever had frightened her. The little girl with a blonde halo of short whispy hair, clutching a unicorn to her chest, stared up at the situation unsure. Hermione's parents appeared at the door with a quiet girl about a year older than Lucius standing behind them clasping a book. When Bellatrix saw them she ran towards Mama and grabbed onto her knees, crying softly.

"I just wanted to surprise Mione! But, but- She doesn't want to see me! She's mad at me; I don't know what I did!"

Mama hushed her and cuddled Bellatrix to her side. Hermione fought the urge to shout out a warning to Mama.

"No, no my dear Bella. Mione loves you; you're her best friend. She just has a- " Mama grasped for the right words to describe it to a child, "a blank moment every now and again since her fever. She forgets things for a second sometimes, but she wants to see you. I promise."

Mama glanced searchingly at Hermione who stared in horror back.

"I know! Why don't we make some hot chocolate, while Hermione finishes waking up. How does that sound Bella?" Papa looked down at a slowly nodding Bellatrix as an imposing woman with a cold demeanor filled the door.

"Bellatrix Black! Look how you're behaving, disgraceful! Ladies do not cry or latch onto others like a house elf. Society will think you've been raised by Mud- Muggles!" Mrs Black corrected poorly, yet swiftly.

"Yes, mother." Bellatrix muttered to the ground as she detached from Mama and sulked past everyone towards the parlor. Papa nodded stiffly to Mrs Black- ' _Druella_ ' Hermione Malfoy's mind supplied- as he ushered the other children out after Bellatrix to get the promised cocoa.

Mrs Black sniffed, following behind as Estel slowly approached Hermione as if a wounded animal.

"Little Rose, what's wrong? We thought you would be thrilled to see your best friend. She's missed you so much; it's been a handful trying to keep her at bay while you've recovered."

Hermione curled into a ball, while hyperventilating. The memories of playing games and having tea parties with the young rambunctious witch twisting horrifically with the older Bellatrix mutilating her arm like some slow motion train wreck. It was too much, destiny was asking too much. Bellatrix was a lost cause; she was twisted worst than Lord Voldemort himself. ' _What sick reality is this? This has to be the moment where Harry and Ron pop out of the closet yelling 'SURPRISE! We're joking, you're really just dead. Welcome to Hell!_ ' '

But no one else appeared, just her mother's concerned face in front of her. She reached out a comforting hand to soothe Hermione when a soft knock was heard on the open door. Hermione looked up as she tried to calm her breathing to see the miniature Bellatrix stumbling forward with two cocoas in hand. She stood shyly beside Mama and offered Hermione one.

Hermione tried to peer into Bellatrix's soul and find the maniac she knew was lurking in there somewhere, but came up with only a little, albeit mischievious, girl with wide dark eyes looking back. Mione reached for the cocoa only to have both mugs tossed aside as the girl lunged into her arms and wrapped her arms around her neck.

Hermione froze for three heartbeats while Bellatrix clung to her, mumbling 'I missed you!' over and over, before she tentatively patted the dark head. Bellatrix's hold got even more fierce, and Hermione knew both of their lives would never be the same.

 _-#-_

 _\- The Magic Time Forgot-_

 _-#-_

The months moved swiftly by, turning to years in seemingly no time at all. Hermione Malfoy's previous life as Hermione Granger became merely a gentle beacon of warning in her dreams, a random reminder as familiar faces cropped up every now and again. Her old life began to resemble dreams more than a reality as the less prominent figures' voices and faces slowly faded into the backdrop and only Harry, Ron, and a few others were still distinguishable.

Her days were filled between meals, reading in the library, playing in the gardens, and lessons with her parents in family history, basic household spells, and etiquette. At the manor, magic was so intrinsically a part of life that to Hermione it became akin to breathing. With the clear advantage to understanding magic given to those raised among it, Hermione came to realize why people were so surprised, or enraged, a muggleborn had been the brightest of the year. And with all the knowledge passed through the Malfoy and Lovegood lines from Papa and Mama, Hermione could only wonder that either Draco- ' _My future nephew_ ' Hermione still shuddered at the thought- had the retention of a flobberworm or Lucius was a terrible teacher. As she watched Lucius sneak off and trip in the pond, she felt comfortable concluding the latter.

And then there were the visits from the Black girls, made more and more regular as Lord and Lady Black went to secret, ' _pre-death eater no doubt_ ', meetings leaving the girls in Estel's careful watch. Or so they thought. The kids ran amok throughout the Malfoy grounds, Estel and Abraxus wanting them to have any freedom they could get. When tired, Lucius would read to Narcissa, and Andromeda would sneak off to some corner of the library to conspire regularly with Mama; Hermione surmised it was some sort of girl talk preparing Andy for Hogwarts in the fall. This left Bella and Hermione to do as they pleased together about the manor, whether terroizing the house elves, well Bella attempted to terrorize them while they tutted and Hermione tried to drag Bella away, or making forts out of pillows and blankets with the aid of Papa's magic when he was around.

The first hiccup to their quiet life didn't come until Andy went off to Hogwarts right before Hermione's 9th birthday. Mrs. Black and the girls were over for dinner, Druella attempting to engage Papa in Riddle's next great scheme that had sent Mr Black away from England for a bit, when a letter arrived from the Goyles informing Mrs Black that Andromeda had been sorted not into Slytherin, but Ravenclaw according to their son.

The look on Mrs. Black's face foreshadowed many a terrible thing.

"RAVENCLAW!" She finally shrieked, "RAVENCLAW! Generations of proud Slytherin's to be mared by this, this-" she couldn't seem to find the right word to call Andy in her disgust, "What well respecting pureblood family will take her now?!"

"I don't know. Abraxus, can you imagine any prestigious purebloods wanting to bring such shame to their Slytherin line by marrying a Ravenclaw?" Mama commented dryly while calmly buttering her dinner roll.

Hermione and Lucius tried to stifle snickers, the Lovegood family was believed to descend from the brother of Rowena Ravenclaw herself. Mama and all of her family in living memory had been sorted into that house, and were quite proud of that fact.

Abraxus grinned up charmingly at Mama, "No darling! None come to mind."

Mrs. Black had the decency to blush as she collected herself, "I'm sorry my dear, I was not thinking straight; I was merely startled. Andromeda's family tree is filled with nothing but Slytherin's, we were expecting her to hold on to the tradition and make our side proud."

Hermione cringed inwardly, ' _The war won't be too long from starting now_ '. The darker families were already beginning to make plans and recruit. The Malfoys would be in a tight position soon.

Mama seemed to sense this as well, "Our side, Druella?"

Mrs Black sniffed and continued with her dinner, "Tom has big plans you know. We'll find a way to restore the old order; keep the mud- I mean, muggleborns, from over running us. Hopefully Andromeda's sorting will not keep her off our path to greatness."

"Oh," Mama declared, "I doubt her being sorted into Ravenclaw will be to her detriment. Wisdom is becoming short supply around here these days; her worth will be like a diamond's."

Mrs Black smiled, completely missing Mama's small barb, "Of course you're right Estel dear. Besides, I have two more daughters who can continue our noble lineage." She glanced to said daughters, and they both nodded swiftly back. The lack of emotion on their faces a little unnerving for Hermione, and she knew she wasn't the only one who thought so.

"Well," Abraxus exclaimed, "I would be thrilled if one of my children were sorted with Andromeda!"

Mrs Black barked a laugh, "Ravenclaw? No offense, but your heirs are through and through Slytherins! They aren't like Andromeda, isn't that right Lucius?"

Lucius looked down at his plate covering an emotion Hermione didn't quite catch. He immediately looked up with a polite mask towards the adults, "Of course Lady Black." Hermione felt a wave of pity for her brother, he wouldn't follow after Mama into Ravenclaw liked he had hoped. He wouldn't take the chance of Mrs Black's disapproval ruining his suit for Cissa, and if Mrs Black's outburst proved anything tonight, it is that it would. Lucius and Cissa were soulmates, anyone could see that, and Lucius would skip up to Lord Voldemort and kiss him full on the mouth before he would ever risk the loss of Cissa's hand.

Hermione glanced towards her parents, noting the sorrow that crossed her mother's face and the annoyance on her father's, quickly concealed by the polite masks of purebloods. They knew it too, Lucius would go to Slytherin.

 _-_ _-#-_

 _\- The Magic Time Forgot-_

 _-#-_

The following year Lucius headed off to Hogwarts, where he was sorted just as predicted. The Malfoy family was both delighted for him, yet slighty worried. Papa found endless excuses to keep Tom Riddle at arms length, but while Tom's grip remained loose on Malfoy manor it was tightening among the other purebloods and his influence growing amongst the Slytherin students almost daily.

Before the Malfoys could even respond to Lucius' owl with their congratulations of his sorting, the Blacks arrived with a marriage contract for Lucius and Narcissa. His preservation of the Slytherin tradition sealing their approval and desire to align their houses through Narcissa, as the Malfoys knew it would. Papa spent days writing the fine print so tight the Black's couldn't snatch Cissa back from Lucius even if he started spouting a love of everything muggle.

Tom himself showed up to offer his congratulations at 'Lucius continuing the noble Slytherin tradition' and the 'joining of the families of his closest friends'. Estel and Abraxus kept their pureblood masks on through his visit; allowing Tom to think the Malfoy's were that much more secure in his camp now that they were aligning through marriage with the Blacks, his closest and most staunch supporters.

Throughout the year, Lucius sent owls home regularly, relating his coursework and housemates to the family. He was thriving in Slytherin, as Hermione knew he would, while keeping himself out of the trouble brewing there, a feat that they all knew would grow increasingly difficult the older he became. Estel took to calling him her mongoose in snake's skin despite Papa's snickers, and poor Hermione fell out of her chair with laughter the first time Mama coined the expression. Apparently Draco's apple didn't fall too far from the tree after all- ' _Like father, like ferret!_ '

As the last years of carefree childhood were coming to a close, Bella continued to be a fixture in the Malfoys' lives, escaping from the Black estates whenever she could to soak in the gentle love and light of the Malfoy women- like a serpent sunning itself. Papa teased her mercilessly, but couldn't fault her for it, considering he was equally guilty.

Hermione smiled at the antics she could hear in the hall. Cissa's letter sitting beside her waiting to share the owl with her own. Hermione looked forward to the holidays when Lucius and Andy would be home with them, completing their odd little family, but even more so to the not too distant future when she would join them at Hogwarts.

* * *

 _AN: Next chapter the story begins to pick up. Hogwarts!_


	3. When a Crazed Sorting Hat Meddles

**Disclaimer:** No characters belong to me

A/N: Finally what you have been waiting for, Hogwarts!

* * *

 **When a Crazed Sorting Hat Meddles:**

Year 1

Hermione allowed herself to be tugged along down Diagon Alley by the one and only Bella Black as they shopped with Mama and Andy for their school supplies. Well, more like Bella in her enthusiasm forged her path forward through the crowd while everyone else struggled to keep up, but those of proper breeding would never word it quite so.

"Ah ha! There's the wand shop; I knew I could find it." Bella turned to face Mama and the rest, who were attempting to discretely catch their breaths, with a smile that lit her whole face, "Can we get our wands first, please."

Hermione snorted, "As if we could say no after being hauled across the alley at almost a mad dash." Estel discretely smacked her daughter's arm; some more ettiquette lessons were apparently in order.

Bella sniffed reproachfully, "I'm a lady. I don't 'dash', I glide... Just rather briskly." She finished airily, dropping Hermione's arm. She composed herself briefly before entering the shop with all the hauteur of Morgana herself.

Andy had to hide a grin behind her hand while Mama choked on a giggle. Hermione just huffed, ' _Save us from the pride of the Blacks_ ' and followed Bella in.

Bella had already cornered Ollivander who looked just as old and frazzled as Hermione remembered him, to his detriment or not she wasn't sure.

"We'll need two of your best wands Mr. Ollivander. We won't stand for shoddy workmanship."

To his credit, Mr Ollivander didn't even bat an eye at the 11 yr old, "Yes young Miss Black, all of my wands will meet your approval I have not doubt, but keep in mind: the wand chooses the wizard, or witch in this case."

Bella's self important demeanor dropped a notch and she smiled sheepishly at the wandmaker while she batted away his tape measurer, "Of course you're right." Mr. Ollivander beamed at her and began his hunt for her wand.

The rest of the group sat back to watch the show as Bella began swishing and flicking. She waved the first three with no reactions at all, when Ollivander found a curved one Hermione recognized almost instantly. Hermione fought back a cringe as she watched Bella Black lift the wand Bellatrix Lestrange had used to curse her in her old life. Bella gave it a mighty swing, Hermione instinctively ducked in her seat, and all of the windows in the room shattered with a roar.

The wandmaker screeched and snatched it back from her, "NO NO NO. Not at all." He glanced wildly about the shop, "Ah! I know." He dove into a pile of boxes and reappeared from the mess holding a long, light colored wand that spiralled at the bottom. "Ash 13 inches, strong and resilient, but adaptable. Core made from strands of unicorn hair woven with a hippogriff's feather, proud and loyal."

Bella grasped it carefully just above the spiral and immediately her eyes lit up, bright colored orbs erupting from the wand to dance about the shop. Ollivander laughed merrily, "Yes, a very unique wand obviously meant for a very special young witch. It will serve you well."

Bella moved to sit down beside her sister in awe while Hermione stood to reunite with her beloved wand. Ollivander's tape measurers flew about her quickly, the wandmaker eyeing her curiously before taking off along the rows.

Within a minute he was back with her wand of vine and dragon heartstring. She almost snatched it from his hand in her eagerness. However, once it was in her hand she stood there dumbfounded as it did nothing. Frustratingly she waved it in a cutting motion, and after the third time Ollivander had to wrestle it from her hand as his sleeve caught fire. Mama giggled, "Definitely not."

Ollivander must have noticed the devastation in her eyes, for he patted her shoulder and gave her an encouraging smile, "Cheer up love, it's rarely the first one."

She tried over ten more with varying disastrous results before he pulled out Harry's wand with a curious sideways glance at her.

"11 inches, Holly and phoenix feather." Hermione took it gingerly from his grasp and the wand lit like a beacon, so bright she had to squint away.

"How curious," the wandmaker murmured, "A Malfoy to light the way. Or maybe," he nodded towards Estel, "You're a touch more Lovegood. Either way, you will do great things. Terrible they may be or good things perhaps, but they will be great!"

Hermione nodded absently to the wandmaker, clutching the wand close. Warmth filled her as an echo of Harry's laughter sounded through her mind. Even now, he was watching over her; his wand keeping her safe when he couldn't.

Estel stood and paid Ollivander, "Thank you so much. I'm as impressed with your craftsmanship as always." They waved goodbye and headed towards Madame Malkins to be fitted.

A flash of green eyes made Hermione halt sharply. She looked across the bustling crowd, knowing Harry's mum had to be near. She saw a glint of auburn before dark, cold black eyes met hers, glaring her down. Severus Snape! He looked at her critically, blocking Lily from her view. ' _Surprise surprise, a whole new timeline and Snape still doesn't like me. Nothing new there._ ' He turned away, guiding the little redhead into the bookstore. ' _Is he protecting Lily, from a Malfoy?!_ ' Hermione made to go after them, when Bella had apparently had enough.

"HERMIONE! Stop standing there staring like some muggle who's never seen magic before! We have things to do." Bella grabbed her best friend and began to pull, giving her a sly sideways look. "Besides," she sneered in a perfect imitation of the formidable Black Matriarch, "Ladies do not gawk. It shows inferior breeding and is an atrocious affront to the name of Malfoy! The Lovegood line is no excuse for poor ettiquette among the elite" The last comment earned her a smack about the head and a shove towards the dress shop.

"Don't be pert!" Mama declared with her own, poorer, imitation of Druella and a playful swat to Bella's backside.

Bella giggled and bolted for the door.

"I thought ladies glide?!" Hermione called out. Bella stuck out her tongue and pushed into Madam Malkins, Hermione close on her heels.

Two boys were already standing on the pedestals being fit for new robes with Gryfindor trim. They were twins, 'fraternal' Hermione noted, with auburn hair not shockingly orange enough to be Weasleys. They were fidgeting and attempting to still jostle each other while the tape measurers hissed and snapped around them. Their poor mother looked worst for wear. The bell on the door announcing the girls entrance drew their attention and the slightly shorter one grinned roguishly at Hermione.

Mama smiled brightly and made her way towards them, "Good morning, Samantha dear. It's been so long since I've seen you." The woman, Samantha, turned and stiffened slightly.

"Forgive me for the passing time," she said coldly. The twins turned towards their mother, seeming just as startled by her change of demeanor. "I have just been occupied with other company, Lady Malfoy."

"Of course," Mama recovered quickly, "How silly of me Lady Prewitt; I forgot myself in the moment."

Hermione's back straightened in anger and sorrow for her mother, this was a scene she had seen unfold one too many times during family outings in society. The dark families may be prejudice, but the light ones were just as bad. Even Mama, coming from an undoubtedly quirky, but dedicated light family had been decidedly shunned as dark by all but her kin for daring to marry a Malfoy. The dark families didn't approve much of her either, but their vying for the Malfoy power kept them from being tactless to her face- for the most part at least.

Hermione stepped forward to speak her mind when Bella delicately swept her aside and glanced at Mrs Prewitt before visibly dismissing her as a Black would a house elf.

"Maybe we should come back later," Bella declared in her polished pureblood lilt, "The Prewitts apparently only keep company with those who can't be spoken of in civilized society. I don't want these 'others', " she dropped her tone in disgust, " to reflect poorly on the noble Lovegood name by us being caught associating with their -" She eyed the Prewitts again, "friends." She turned on her heel and strode out, refusing to acknowledge them further.

Hermione wasn't sure if she should smack her again or cheer. She looked up at the Prewitts, the mother was obviously ashamed and the twins were gobbsmacked. Hermione prayed this wouldn't cause her issues when she was sorted into Gryffindor, and took off after Bella.

Hermione found her standing outside shaking with rage. "How dare they! Those uptight, ill bred pigs! My mother may not think the world of Mama Estel, but she wouldn't treat her so."

Hermione grabbed her best friend's hand and grinned, "Oh please, your 'saintly' mother tolerates Mama for Papa's sake only."

"Well," Bella huffed, "It's different, no one likes Mother, so her opinions don't really matter! Your mum obviously liked that Prewitt woman at some point; her disapproval hurt."

Their conversation cut off as the Prewitts bustled out of the dress store, the mother not making eye contact. The twins kept stealing glances back at Hermione and Bella, their expressions indecipherable to Hermione. 'Hopefully that's not a burned bridge.'

Hermione pulled Bella back into Madam Malkins where her mum was waiting and Andy was already being fitted for her new robes for 4th year with Ravenclaw trim. Estel hurried towards them and pulled them close, scolding them for poor manners.

"The Malfoys and Blacks may look down their nose at others, but I was not raised to do so. And I did not teach you girls to either!" Her lecture turned soft, "I appreciate your defense of my honor Bella. Just know in the future it is unacceptable to publicly ridicule someone like that. Lady Prewitt was wrong, but so were you." She moved away.

Andromeda, having finshed her fitting, siddled over to Bella, "Our house will be forever shamed; whatever will Mother say?"

Bella shrugged, "We're Blacks, if I make a Prewitt cry themself to sleep in embarrassment Mother will probably make me her heir." Bella grinned cheekily while Andromeda let out a laugh and Estel covered a smile. Hermione grabbed Bella into a hug for lifting the mood; the encounter soon forgotten.

They met up with Papa and Lucius for ice cream shortly after. Papa carrying their school books shrunken into a bag and Lucius carrying his new broom, the Cleansweep 4, having won his position as keeper on the Slytherin quidditch team the year before. They sat down to eat their dessert when Papa produced from thin air a cage containing a black owl with white spots and plunked it between the two girls sharing a banana split. They squealed in delight and immediately fell upon the cage with coos.

"To write letters home. I have no doubt you will share regardless of your sorting." Everyone knew Bella was bound for Slytherin, but Hermione was a toss up.

Mama smiled mysteriously, her voice taking on the dreamy Lovegood trademark "Oh, this will be a sorting for the record books; it will definitely surprise all." Hermione nodded, Mama just knew things sometimes, like Luna had seemed to. An almost sixth sense that was a pure family trait. It had skipped Hermione, but she caught glimpses of it in Lucius from time to time, and definitely in their cousin Xeno.

Abraxus, not to be outdone, perked up and hugged Hermione close, "You mean she WILL sort into Slytherin after all?!" Hermione giggled and worked her way out of Papa's grasp. She knew he would be proud of her, even when she was sorted into Gryffindor, but Bella. She turned to her best friend who was stroking their new owl and practically swooning. Bella had almost no resemblance to Bellatrix Lestrange, but Gryffindor would still be a hard swallow.

"Gemini." Bella declared, "How does that sound, Hermione?"

Hermione smiled down at the owl, "It's perfect Bella."

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

Before Hermione knew it she was boarding the train to Hogwarts, her parents frantically kissing them all goodbye. Meanwhile the Blacks stood back, nodding and scolding like they were known to, Narcissa holding onto Mama's and Mrs Black's hands trying not to cry. Lucius and Andromeda helped put the girls' luggage in a compartment and they all leaned out, waving from the window.

"Goodbye Andromeda. Goodbye Bellatrix, do your lineage proud!"

"Lucius! Look out for our Little Rose and mind the pranks this year. I want no letters from Slughorn or McGonagall!"

They all sat back in their seats as the train left the station behind. Lucius turned to the to new first years, "So Mione where do you think you'll be sorted? I'd ask you Bella, but we all know."

Bella smoothed her dress primly, "I don't know what you mean. I'm going with Mione to Ravenclaw."

Lucuis looked stupified, and even Hermione gave a slight jerk. Druella had still been furious with Andy when she got home for the holidays during her first year despite Mama's earlier attempts at diffusing the situation. The screaming had sent the younger two Black girls fleeing to the Malfoys. Both Mama and Papa had to go calm the Black seniors down before they did something they'd regret.

"Besides, if Ravenclaw is good enough for a Malfoy, it's good enough for me."

Mione drew a deep breath and let it out, "What if the hat doesn't sort me into Ravenclaw?"

The whole cabin blinked at Hermione, while she stared determinedly out the window. Finally Bella broke the silence, "I'm not worried."

Lucius tore his gaze from his sister to place it upon Bella, "Oh yes great snake, and how is that? You're sorted first- it's alphabetical!"

Bella and Andromeda shared a sly look before quickly blanking their faces. Bella turned back to Lucius, "It's been taken care of."

Lucius huffed and stood from the seat, "I need to head out to a prefects meeting. Coming Andy?"

Andromeda rose gracefully and followed him out, quickly turning back to eye the remaining two occupants, "Behave."

"Bella, I - I'll still be your best friend, even if we aren't in the same house. Just like I'll still love Lucius, and Andy will still love you. Different sortings won't change who we are."

Bella smile up at Hermione, tossing her wild black hair over her shoulder, "I won't be sorted anywhere I don't want to be - I promise."

Hermione grinned and tackled her, throwing their instilled etiquette out the window. She was part Lovegood anyway, and they were known for their eccentricities. They giggled and squealed, rolling about the floor a mass of blonde and black hair when their compartment door was thrown open. Severus Snape stood in the doorway with who could only be Lily Evans peering around his shoulder.

"Never mind Lily, it's full." He turned to usher her back down the train corridor when Lily poked his side.

"Don't be rude Sev, they look friendly." She smiled winningly and entered the compartment.

Hermione was slightly surprised to see her wild hunch in Diagon Alley had been right. Who would have thought, Lily and Snape were actually friends, and since Hermione being alive had no ramifications on their part of the timeline until this moment, that meant they had been friends in the other one too. ' _Wow, Harry's brain is going to short circuit! Bellatrix is my childhood friend and his mother is Snape's. Harry will die if he hasn't already.'_

At that, slightly morbid thought, Hermione untangled herself from her dogpile with Bella and held out a hand with a warm smile.

"Hermione Malfoy; it's a pleasure to meet you."

Bella righted herself and did the same after patting down the wrinkles in her dress, "Bellatrix Black."

The red head smiled brighter her green eyes wide with delight, "I'm Lily Evans, and this," she gestured to her sulking partner, "Is my best friend, Severus Snape."

Snape perked up at Lily's reinforcement of their relationship. He gave a small smile to the girls, "Do you mind if we sit with you?"

"Please," Bella murmured demurely, gesturing to one of the benches, "We were just - " She looked at Mione for an excuse for their bout of unladylike behavior.

"- teaching Gemini how not to behave!" Hermione flustered, turning to look at their owl in his cage at the edge of the compartment watching his two-legged mistresses making fools of themselves, "See Gemini, that's how someone loses an eye."

Bellatrix nodded and looked back at Lily and Sev with only a slight twitch to her lips, "Quite."

Slow clapping drew every ones attention a little past the compartment doorway where the two Gryffindor twins from Madam Malkins were standing.

"Did you hear that, Fabian? That was some quick thinking if I every heard it. True snake charming caught in action!"

"Owl decorum lessons, is that what they're calling it these days, Gideon? I wonder if McGonagall will buy that next time you and I have a throwdown with some Slytherins."

"And to think, this young lady was worried about associating with _us_ due to the mere thought of the shadow that could be cast by 'our' family friends."

"Bamboozled we were!"

"We thought we had met ladies of real breeding. Oh the li-"

"What are you gits doing here?" Lucius appeared behind the twins, scowl firmly in place.

"Lucy! They made you a prefect? I thought that Nott bird was the 3rd yr girl prefect for Slytherin?"

Hermione bit back a grin, Lucius' hair was getting long.

Lucius' dark look deepened, "Leave my sister and her friends alone. Find other first years to torment- these are off limits."

Gideon tugged on a lock of Lucius' white blonde hair, "Yes Lucy. Mom made us promise not to fight with ladies."

"I'm surprise she even knows what one is," Lucius muttered.

Gideon and Fabian's jovial grins started to turn nasty. Hermione decided it was time to jump into the fray before it could escalate, "Yes, you're all very pretty. Can you gentlemen leave now before we have to cover Gemini's eyes? He doesn't need to think such poor manners is common place. He might get ideas in that owlery!"

Lucius looked at his sister liked she'd gone mad, while the stunned looks on the twins turned to bright grins.

"She thinks we're pretty!" Gideon crowed.

"Who knew she had such good taste?"

"Of course little Malfoy; we shall depart."

"Heaven forbid if little Gemini turns to the dark arts on behalf of us!"

Lucius rolled his eyes and leaned in to kiss Mione's forehead, "Careful my Little Rose. Call me if you need anything," he ruffled Bella's hair on his way out, throwing the twins a warning look, eyes narrowed "I'll be monitoring the hallways."

He yanked the Prewitt twins out with him, kicking them to the other side of the train. Silence reigned in the compartment before Lily broke into laughter, followed by Snape and everyone else. They talked and giggled undisturbed the next hour or so until it was time to start changing into robes.

Snape left to change elsewhere while the girls locked the door to get ready. Once changed they opened the door to a knock only to find Sirius Black and James Potter on the other end.

"What do you want Siri? We were having a good time before you showed up," Hermione growled, still a bit sore over him dipping her hair in an ink pot when she visited Grimmauld Place a week back. He was a menace as an adult, but it paled in comparison to the pain he could be as a kid. The glow of seeing him alive again had faded over the years with his many hijinks.

"We heard there was a muggleborn in here with you, and we wanted to make sure she was alright" Potter stated.

Hermione bristled, she had been so excited to see the little Harry doppleganger when she first met him. She had practically bounded over to introduce herself at a high end Christmas function with all the old families, towing Mama behind her. The Potter seniors had politely rebuffed Estel's greeting and James had responded in kind to Hermione. That had been one of her first lessons in politics of the 'light' side. No wonder the Order had been predominantly Gryffindor, they didn't really tolerate much else.

"Muggleborn?" Lily questioned quietly.

Bella stiffened for a moment, having assumed Lily had been half-blood at least. Hermione nudged her and gave her a look. They had talked secretly about this, well Hermione had talked and Bella had ranted, but Hermione thought she had made enough headway. Bella relaxed slightly and turned to Lily, "It's a term that means neither of your parents are magical, making them muggles. You, being the first magical user in your family, are considered a muggleborn witch because you were born to muggles."

"Ahhh," Lily murmured, "Does that matter?"

"To some," Potter huffed, "Like to them, the darker families."

Hermione's back went ramrod, "Take that back!" She hissed. "I do not discriminate. I knew she was muggleborn almost immediately and still welcomed her as a friend."

"Everyone knows Slytherins hate muggleborns, and your family is a nest of vipers."

"What's going on here?" Snape stepped back into the compartment, Lestrange in tow. Hermione and James were both indignant, Bella and Sirius were glaring at each other, and Lily looked like she was close to tears.

Lily ran over to Snape and wrapped her arms around him seeking comfort, "Sev, they said Slytherins hate muggleborns. I thought you said I would be accepted there with you."

Lestrange in his all encompassing tact spat out, "We don't let mudbloods into our house."

Hermione and Potter turned united, roaring with rage. Sirius looked upset, but he had heard the word so often it barely registered, same as Bella. Snape's face was twisted in a look of abject horror and shame at being caught in a lie, and Lily knew enough to realize she had just been gravely insulted even if she didn't know exactly how.

James tossed Lestrange out on his ear, while Lily pulled away from Snape, throwing herself into Bella's arm who immediately seeked Hermione's help while looking extremely uncomfortable. She might not hate muggleborns anymore, but she definitely wasn't up to being cuddly with them either quite yet. While Hermione thought the exposure was good for Bella, she took mercy on her and pulled the now crying Lily into her arms.

"Where will I be sorted now? All I knew was Slytherin, and they don't want me!"

Hermione thought about her first time in Hogwarts, remembering how the hate thrown her way had shattered her innocence of the magical world. How she'd wound up crying her eyes out in a bathroom, devastated and alone, before that troll had found her. She held Lily tighter.

"Shhh... It's ok, it's ok. You can join me at the house I'm placed in. I'm not likely to sort into Slytherin and you can be with me." Hermione felt Lily calm and knew it would be alright. She hadn't lied to Lily, even though Lily didn't realize she'd be sorted first. Either way they were both Gryffindor bound. Yes they'd have to deal with Potter and Sirius, but hopefully once she was sorted with the Lions that would prove she wasn't dark.

Potter bust out laughing, "A Malfoy not a Slytherin?"

Hermione glared up, "Are you forgetting who you're chumming with? Sirius' parents make mine look like Dumbledore's top allies."

Sirius shuffled his feet, "Yeah, but I don't idolize my family. You follow after your parents like they hold the answer to life; their influence is all over you! I'm striking out on my own. I'm not a Slytherin, I can feel it in my bones."

"You don't like Mama?" Hermione whispered softly. Yes, Sirius drove her wild, but he still had his foot in a part of the little quirky family her and Mama had forged out of the dark.

Sirius looked between Hermione and James, torn between this pretty childhood friend and a new friend that showed him hope of a different future. He stealed himself, "How good can that loon be, she married a snake," he snarked shakily.

Hermione recoiled and Snape stepped in trying to salvage the situation, "What's wrong with Slytherin? It's a noble house filled with great wizards and witches."

"There wasn't a witch or wizard who went dark who wasn't in Slytherin." Potter replied crisply.

Bella stepped forward defending her family, "That doesn't make everyone who is in Slytherin dark. You can't judge a whole house based on a few psychos."

"Yeah, well look Red in the eyes and tell her she will be accepted in Slytherin."

Bella looked down at the crying girl in Hermione's arms then at a hopeful Snape, "I can't."

Snape's face crumbled and Lily let out a sob. Hermione looked up at the two young trouble makers, "Just get out. You've caused enough damage."

Potter looked like he would argue, but Sirius touched his shoulder and shook his head. They left the compartment.

The rest of the trip was in silence, minus a few soothing words from Hermione and a hiccup or two from Lily. Snape looked like someone had shot his dog and Bella just looked sour. They were quite the sight when they pulled into Hogsmeade station and the first years boarded the boats.

As the boats made their way across the lake and the new students gasped in awe at their first view of Hogwarts in all it's glory, Lily squeezed Hermione's hand. "I'll go with you."

Hermione smiled at Lily, catching the slight frown on Bella's and Snape's faces.

They were ushered quickly into the feast, taking in the Great Hall's ceiling and the four house tables. Dumbledore called for silence as the first years lined up, and walked up to a peeved looking McGonagall holding the sorting list

"We do not know which student or students tampered with the first year list," his tone serious and the twinkle in his eyes absent, "Since, it seems like nothing harmful was done we will not punish anyone- this year. However any future pranks with the list no matter how harmless, will not be tolerated. This is a time honored and important occasion for our newest students and they are nervous enough." He smiled towards the first years who were starting to fidget nervously, "Despite attempts, we have not been successful in correcting the list, so this one time Professor McGonagall will read it as it insists on being read this year - backwards."

Andy did her best to hide a wicked grin, while Bella shuffled, staring at her feet, refusing to glance up. Hermione's amber eyes found Lucius' silver ones as he sat at the Slytherin table, both awestruck and a bit taken aback at the stunt the Black sisters had manage to pull off. McGonagall brought the hall to order and called out the first name in a tight voice, "Anthony Zabini."

Professor McGonagall made her way swiftly down the list in descending order. Snape went into Slytherin, and Potter and Pettigrew to Gryffindor, no surprises there. Before Hermione knew it, it was her turn.

"Hermione Malfoy"

Hermione let go of Lily and Bella's hands, making her way swiftly to the stool. Hermione heard the familiar voice of the sorting hat once it was placed on her head.

' **Ah, Hermione Malfoy, back again I see. And in the correct time at that, hmmmm... Where to put you, where to put you**.'

" _Where you did last time please._ "

' **But Miss Malfoy, you've always been cunning like a snake and now you can be placed there without danger. Look here, you're also clever, just like your mum**.'

" _Flattery will get you no where. Gryffindor is where I want to be_."

' **Ah, ah, ah... I get to sort you young lady; you can't take my job**.'

Hermione sat there impatiently, wishing he'd just get on with it.

' **Oh, I see it now. The hand of fate is on you; I can't change that. You are bound for the yellow house. You will find powerful magic long since forgotten hidden within its walls** '

Hermione smiled with relief, finally back where she belongs...

' **No my dear. Not gold, yellow. It's time for the neglected house to stand proud once more. You my dear will do great things in** ' "HUFFLEPUFF!"

A pin could have dropped in the Great Hall and everyone would have heard it. A Malfoy in Hufflepuff. Bella stared at her in pure horror, as a slightly dazed McGonagall shooed Hermione off the stool towards the middle table. Hufflepuff seemed just as stunned, but slowly began to give some polite, albeit confused, claps and cheers. She sat on the edge of the table, trying to get her brain caught up with current events when eventually Lily was called to the stool.

' _Oh shit_.'

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Hermione spit out her pumpkin juice as Lily came racing up to sit beside her with a huge grin. Hermione's smiled awkwardly back, her mind screeching, _'Harry is going to KILL me if he doesn't get born! Idiot, idiot, IDIOT_ '

Davies went to Ravenclaw and Amelia Bones came to sit at Hufflepuff as well, taking a seat rather far down the row from the youngest Malfoy.

Surprises for those sitting in the Great Hall kept coming with the sorting of the first Black into Gryffindor. As Potter led the roar of applause from the lion house for Sirius, Bella was called to the stool.

She gave one more hard look towards Hermione before composing herself and walking determiningly to the stool. She let the hat be placed on her head for all of three seconds. Then took it off heself almost immediately, already beginning her march to the table -Slytherin clapping- before the hat even started shouting,

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

Bella sat down primly at Hermione's other side without batting a lash to the sudden choked off applause.

Hermione looked incredulously at her best friend and hissed, "Have you lost your mind! Why did you follow me here? Ravenclaw you could have gotten away with, but Hufflepuff?!"

Bella snorted, "As if a Black being best friends with a badger would be any better? We'd never get over the scandal. Besides think of poor Gemini, having to live in a split home. He'd grow up confused and resentful."

"How can you joke about this!? This is the rest of your life," Hermione whispered harshly.

Bella merely looked down at her plate, "Take your beef up with the sorting hat. I am exactly where I'm meant to be."

"But this just became dangerous. Your mothe-"

"Our fates have always been intertwined Hermione Malfoy. it's time you learned to deal with it."

Hermione stared ahead, locking eyes with a table full of furious Slytherins as she slid a hand under the table to squeeze Bella's shaking one.

"I guess so Bellatrix Black."

* * *

A/N: I'm still trying to figure out how much the Marauders will appear in the earlier parts of the story. Let me know what you think :)


	4. Send in the Mail

**Disclaimer:** Same as usual - HP belongs to Rowling

A/N: Thank you to those who reviewed; I really appreciate the kind words and encouragement. I was starting to think I was barking up the wrong tree with this story. Here's the rest of Hermione's first year at Hogwarts. Enjoy :)

* * *

 **Send in the Mail**

Year 1

The Banquet was one of the quietest opening feasts Hermione had ever attended. Almost all conversations were done in the hushed tones of gossipers throughout the hall. Mama had been right: this was a sorting that would be long remembered. As far as their family circles were concerned, three of the most powerful pureblood families were now disgraced. Hermione did not look forward to the morning, and she knew Bella didn't either. Mail time will suck.

Lily, of course, had no idea of the enormity of what had just happened. She told Hermione and a zoned out Bella about growing up in Surrey: her parents, some other girl with a flower name, her favorite muggle band, the moment her letter arrived, and so forth.

Hermione was only listening with one ear while pushing her food about the plate absently, her appetite long gone. How had this happened? All of her hard work to fix the timeline practically shredded in one single instance. Only the dark families would have sneered at her in Gryffindor, but no family- light or dark- would take her seriously in Hufflepuff. AND don't even get her started on how she potentially buggered Harry's entire existence with Lily's sorting. Hermione groaned into her mash potatoes, ready for this nightmare to end.

They were eventually ushered off to their houses, Bella walking as if to a funeral, all Slytherins they encountered glaring with intense hatred at both of the fallen heiresses. Lucius and Andy tried to get their attention and wave them over, but the girls ignored them, continuing to trudge slowly to their common room.

They were greeted to a room with a warm, homey feel overlooking the Hogwarts green houses and gardens with giant bay windows. There were chairs and sofas set all about, a large fireplace merrily roaring away, and multiple shelves containing books, cards, and games. Tapestries hung high along the wall depicting battles and Helga's life. Rules were laid out and the first years shown their dorm, although no one really knew what to say to Bella and Hermione - most were still reeling. The two first year male Hufflepuffs, Amos Diggory and Charles Mortius, nodded bashfully to their female cohorts before ambling up their stairwell.

The first year girls dorm held four poster beds all in a row. Amelia Bones immediately claimed the one closest to the door, from the looks she shot Hermione and Bella it was to have the quickest escape route. Lily took the bed directly to the right under the window; Bella 'glided briskly' to the one against the far wall- furthest from Lily and Amelia- leaving Hermione to be in between the muggleborn and dark bred pureblood, ' _Joy_ '.

Amelia and Bella put their stuff away immediately and went to bed, ignoring the other occupants. Hermione smiled at Lily sheepishly mouthing, 'I'll explain later.' Lily nodded, confused but patient, and they crawled into their beds earlier than probably any other students in the castle. The dorm room was stilted in awkward silence, ' _Hopefully not a precursor to the next 7 years_ '.

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

Morning came swiftly and Hermione awoke to find Bella sitting on the end of her bed, already dressed for the first day of classes. She groaned and pulled her pillow over her head; Malfoys did not do mornings. Bella shook her until she glared out from under her feathered sanctuary.

"Get up Mione, I want to be finished with breakfast and out of the hall before mail arrives."

Hermione jolted awake remembering last night and the catastrophe she had caused. ' _Yes, beating the mail is good_.' She was ready for class in her newly Hufflepuff trimmed uniform in 10 minutes flat. Linking arms with Bella they passed their still sleeping dormmates and made a beeline for breakfast.

They filled their plates and ate quickly, eyeing the windows, door, and time at regular intervals. They stood to leave before the hall was even half way full when Slughorn called out, "Just hold on young ladies. The schedules haven't been handed out yet!"

Bella groaned into Hermione's shoulder as they collapsed as one, defeated, back onto the bench. Eventually Lily plunked down beside them with a nod, quickly making a plate quietly, thankfully not a morning person. The Prewitt twins slid onto the bench in front of them, shark grins on their faces.

"Our owl trainers certainly gave all of us quite the surprise, didn't they Gideon?"

"Oh aye, true serpents they are. Cunningly hiding amongst the sheep, spreading their dark influences to new families."

"Although, if they were doing that I would expect them to pick Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. What power is there to gain amongst the Badgers?"

Bella huffed, calling upon all of her manners to prevent herself from throwing a biscuit at the obnoxious boys. Her mother was probably already horrified enough.

"Oh they huff, but will they-"

"There's the puff, oh there's the puff. Look at her go!" Gideon crowed as Hermione bristled visibly.

"Will you look at that dear brother of mine. We were wrong, they huff AND puff. A correct sorting by the old hat if I do say so myself. And here we thought it was losing it's touch" Fabian raised his eyebrow at Hermione, reaching across the table to tug a lock of her blonde hair. "We'll have to keep our eyes on these two."

Gideon nodded his agreeance as he tried to inconspicuously wipe the egg off his nose that Bella had discretely flicked with a delicate 'oops'. "We certainly will." The rogues stood up and scampered off before Hermione could do something to bring more shame upon the Malfoy name. Her eyes followed their escape to the lion table, an older Molly Prewitt coming behind them to scold them for talking with dark witches.

Bella nudged her as Amelia Bones appeared and sat with the older female students a good ways down from them, eyeing her two new pureblood roommates with disdain. It seemed all the other students of their house, besides Lily, were giving them a rather wide berth as well. With good reason, it would turn out, as a striking red envelope was dropped in front of Bella announcing the arrival of the mail. Bella groaned and buried her head under her arms on the table as the letter opened and Mrs Black's voice poured forth with such rage Hermione was sure her skin would peel.

"BELLATRIX ELIZA BLACK! HOW DARE YOU HEAP SUCH SHAME UPON OUR HOUSE! TO SPIT ON SUCH A PROUD HERITAGE, YOU'RE A DISGRACE. I'VE HALF A MIND TO TURN YOU OUT ON YOUR EARS THIS VERY MOMENT!"

The howler continued to shriek for several minutes. Druella's rants being slightly obscured to eavesdroppers only due to Sirius' howler from his mother, Walburga, tearing into her son at the far table at the same decibel. Poor Lily was covering her ears, trying to shout over the shrieks of scandalized Blacks to Bella to make it stop, not yet knowing they couldn't be.

"AND HOW WILL I FACE THE MALFOYS?! DRAGGING THEIR DAUGHTER DOWN WITH YOU. WHO WILL WANT TO ASSOCIATE WITH YOU NOW, KNOWING YOU CAN PULL EVEN THE BEST OF FAMILIES THROUGH THE SLAGHEAP!"

Hermione sat staring at the howler as it writhed in the air; Mrs Black didn't know the sorting order had been reversed. She grabbed Bella's arm with urgency, but Bella merely shook her head, looking up enough to make eye contact and mouth a firm 'no' before ducking her head once more. Bella would not be correcting her mother's assumption- Mrs Black would never forgive Hermione if she knew. She sat back feeling sick.

Finally the howler lost steam and burst into flames. The three girls gave a collective sigh of relief before a new letter was dropped in front of them. Lily cringed back, but the blue envelope merely brushed the soot of the howler off the table and opened gently. Mama's calm voice filled the area.

"My beautiful girls, I am so very proud of you and your sorting into Hufflepuff. Little Rose, your grandparents were delighted when I told them, as were your uncle and little Xeno. I'm sure your paternal grandparents would be equally- vocal- if they were still among the living," Hermione snorted into her juice, "As for your father, well he will send his congratulations once he has fully convinced himself he is actually awake. He spent the whole night muttering in his chair once we heard the news, but 'Better than Gryffindor' is a sure sign of his delight for he had prepared himself for the worst." Mama chuckled, "We love you both very much."

The letter kissed Hermione's cheeks then leaned in to kiss Bella on top of her head before whispering in her ear, "My brave little snake, not many would have done what you have. You are special Bella Black. I will do my best to smooth things over with your parents."

The letter gave a wiggle and merrily danced through the air towards the Gryfindor table to roost in Sirius' mop of hair, "I told you I saw a lion's heart in you. A word to the wise, a Lovegood is always right." The envelope gave a soft laugh, then burst into glitter of blue and bronze covering Sirius, Potter, and the other first years around them.

Hermione gave a sharp glare to a bemused Sirius, he didn't deserve Mama's comradere. Ignoring the unabashed glances from surrounding students, she soothed Bella's hair, "It can only go up from here." Bella groaned into her arms, nodding her head in agreeance.

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

After getting their schedules and assuring a worried Lucius and Andy that they would be alright, the first day of classes began. They wandered down the corridors to Charms class, Hermione pretending to be hesitant of the way, even though she could find it in her sleep. They slid into a row together, Hermione sitting as a buffer between Lily and Bella. Amos and Charles stole the seats directly in front of them, smiling shyly back towards the three girls, while Amelia was the lone Hufflepuff at the front, eager to learn.

Flitwick bustled into the classroom and clamored on top of his stack of tomes, "Good morning, good morning, my eager young pupils! I'm Professor Flitwick, and welcome to Charms 101, the first of a possible seven Charms classes you'll be taking with me." He beamed at all of the first years before him, "Now everyone pull out your quills and take notes, the theory behind a spell is the key to it's success. You can't just wave your wand about and shout, this isn't some muggle magic trick!"

Some of the students snickered as they dug through their bags for their items to take notes.

"Now let's begin with magic itself: what is it? How does one channel it?"

Lily, sitting to Hermione's right, was enraptured and hanging on Flitwick's every word. Hermione turned to glance at Bella, her face was indifferent, but Hermione knew her well enough to catch the glint of excitement and curiousity in her eye as she casually jotted down some notes. Hermione turned back to look at a spot on the chalkboard above her professor's left shoulder, it was going to be a long year.

Within the first week, as Mama predicted, a letter from Papa arrived with two white roses from the Malfoy gardens. The message contained his joyful surprise- Hermione hadn't been made a lion as he had quietly dreaded- detailing his unwavering pride and his love. The letter also signified a veiled warning to the disgruntled purebloods, the youngest Malfoy was still in the best of standing with her powerful family as was the disgraced daughter of the House of Black.

The Gryffindors, with the exception of the Prewitt twins, were unsure of what to do with the two purebloods and the unlikely approval of their sorting by the Malfoy family, choosing to just leave them alone- only acknowledging them when necessary. Sirius had tried to catch Hermione's eye a few times, probably to sheepishly apologize for his slight on her family, but she refused to give him the time of day, choosing to stride purposefully by him.

The Slytherin students were more visible with their distaste, but luckily did no more than send them horrible looks and speak about them in hushed, but nasty tones for the time being. Bella glided past them all, her back ramrod straight, Hermione moving gracefully beside her, pureblood mask firmly in place. Lily however, would send her own glares and snide remarks back, unknowingly saved from retaliation by the fact no one wanted to risk a snub by the Malfoys or the wrath of a protective Lucius.

Looking for some semblance of her old life- Slytherin students general disdain notwithstanding- Hermione took to studying in the library Tuesday nights after double potions. She was quickly joined by Lily, Bella, and Severus, then shortly there after Lucius and Andy began showing up as well, helping the younger students with their assignments while they tried to hold on to the dynamics of their odd little family.

The days marched onward and soon the first few months passed and winter holidays were looming before them.

Hermione fell easily into friendship with Lily and by extension Severus, although Bella still kept the muggleborn at arms length despite Lily's best efforts. As if not befriending Lily kept her from truly falling from grace. Hermione wished Bella would come to grips with the fact that ship had already sailed, Mrs. Black's unrelenting campaign of howlers the ship's christening. Her daily barrage of shrieking and shaming outlasted Walburga's by a whole month, finally coming to a sudden halt in mid November with no warning. Everyone at Hufflepuff breathing a sigh of relief at the now quiet mornings; no one daring to question their good fortunes.

Despite the constant rebuffs, Lily proved stubborn and kept at her attempts to win over the long suffering Bella while Hermione cheered her on from the wings. This was Lily's battle, and she wouldn't cheapen her inevitable victory by trying to manipulate Bella into accepting.

If Bella and Lily's relationship could be considered strained, then Hermione's with Amelia Bones could only be construed as frigid, and Bella's with Bones was down right hostile. Bones made no secret of her dislike of the Malfoys' historically dark leanings, ignoring Hermione or glaring at her in intervals no matter how pleasant Hermione tried to be. However, Amelia loathed Bella, her fuel coming from some bad blood between the Bones and the Blacks, creating barely livable conditions in their room.

The tension only seemed to rise each night in the Hufflepuff first year girls dorm as they all got ready for bed. The strain of all the bumpy relationships amongst them slowly starting to drain on Hermione. ' _So much for the house of loyalty, friends, and hard work_ ,' Hermione thought wistfully as she found herself counting down the days to go home for the winter holidays.

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

"That muggleborn did it," Bella huffed in frustration as she pushed her way out of the Malfoy floo past Hermione. Mione hadn't seen Bella since the peeved Black's had snatched her off the train station platform two days ago. She looked worst for wear, but not physically injured in any way.

"Who did what?"

"Lily!" Bella declared with a whirl and a snarl demanding Hermione keep up. Hermione just stared at her, awaiting clarity.

Bella looked lost and confused as she prowled about the parlor, as if not quite sure what to do with herself. If Hermione knew one thing, it was a confused Bella was an angry Bella, and an angry Bella was bad news for eveyone.

"She's the reason the howlers stopped!"

Hermione's confusion turned incredulous, "Wait, what?"

Bella chewed on her lip, stopping right in front of Hermione. "She stopped mother's howlers by sending one of her own," she blurted.

Hermione blinked. "What?!"

"That crazy muggleborn sent my mother- a lady of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black- a howler!" Bella shrieked before she sat down hard on the floor, Hermione plopping ungracefully down beside her equally stunned.

"Cissa showed me the memory in father's pensive after mother and father had finally finished their hours of ranting and gone up to bed. I would recognize Lily's voice anywhere. She railed against mother for bullying for over five minutes, the howler chasing her about the parlor. Lily ended it by telling mother the reason I won't have any offers of marriage is not due to me being in Hufflepuff but because, and I quote, 'No respectable wizard would willingly want you for a mother-in-law to darken their doorway every Sunday for dinner!' "

Silence reigned for a moment as the words sank in, then Bella threw back her head and howled with laughter until she was crying. Lily had finally won.

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

Life at Hogwarts picked up after they returned from winter break. Bella having pulled a surprised Lily into a hug the moment she appeared in their compartment on the train back to Hogwarts. Lily's grin had nearly split her face and she walked about like a cat with a bowl of cream for the next week.

The solidification of the trio eased the tension, finally allowing Hermione a sense of peace when she was in the dorm room. Well, mostly...

"BLACK! LET ME IN THIS INSTANT!" Bones yelled, banging on the door.

Bella leaned against it from the inside, a smirk lighting her face "No, I don't think so Bones," she called through the door, "Maybe next time you'll think twice before you toss shoes into the shower. You do know you grabbed the wrong pair, right? Poor Lily squeaked like a duck all day! For future reference I wear a 36"

"OI!," Mione piped up, "Those are mine; you're a 38 you liar!" Mione dove on Bella from behind. Lily jumping into the fray with a shout as they rolled about the floor, laughing, tickling and spouting curses.

All was quiet for a moment outside the door before there was a firm knock and the calm, clear voice of Amelia's older brother came through the door, "Enough, let Amelia in before I start docking points."

Lily disentangled herself from the mass of limbs to unlock the door; Hermione and Bella quickly righting themselves and smoothing their silk dresses. Amelia stood in the doorway, seething in anger while Edgar, fifth year prefect and a chaser for Hufflepuff, stood behind her shaking his head in complete resignation at the proud girls before him, "You four are the worst examples of Hufflepuffs I've ever seen. That's including you Amei. I know you're not an innocent party." He sighed, bemused, and left the girls alone.

Amelia stormed in, "ANIMALS" she declared, glaring at them all. She shoved them aside making a beeline for her bed, drawing her bed curtains closed to block them out and study.

First year came to a close on a better note then the year had begun. Lily and Bella were ranked at the top of the class having struggled all year with Severus and Remus for second and third place. All the while Hermione read up on her family wards- spelled to look like her text books- during classes and completed her course work and tests practically in her sleep. She had been the brightest witch of her age in her old life, and she effortlessly claimed 1st place, refusing to surrender one of the few chances for consistency. Besides, if she was suppose to be restoring the name of Hufflepuff, having the top students in the house of the badger was a modest start.

Despite their efforts, being measly as first years without Dumbledore's favoritism, Ravenclaw took the house cup much to Andromeda's preening. Hufflepuff taking a lowly third behind Slytherin.

* * *

A/N: Since the girls are young I've decided to keep most male interaction (marauders, Severus, Prewitts, etc) to a minimum for a bit as I build the friendship and character growth of the girls. Don't worry, the boys will come into play more and more as they get older and start dealing with hormones. Also, it will probably be one chapter for each school year until 5th year, then the story will start weaving in more action and out of school drama as the main characters get to ages where they can actually battle and do complex magic (outside of Hermione who works to not blow her secret). Sorry if it's a bit slow at the moment, but for the early years I'm building the setting, plot, and characters in the hopes of creating a memorable story. Although, I'm super excited about the next chapter: lots of fun twists and hijinks.


	5. These Changing Times

**Disclaimer:** Do not own HP

A/N: Thank you for the support! I enjoy reading your thoughts and opinions on the chapters; helps me know if I'm getting it right and where to focus. I had loads of fun writing this chapter (definitely a favorite) and chuckling at the stunts the girls get up to. There are quite a few page breaks, but hopefully you will love this chapter as much as I do.

* * *

 **These Changing Times**

Year 2

The summer had been strained by the Black matriarch making Bella stay in regularly for lessons detailing their noble lineage since Bella had "obviously forgotten". The matter made even worse by Mrs Black trying to salvage a match between Rodolphus Lestrange and Bella.

Hermione and Lucius had been over visiting the Blacks at the time, since Hermione was tired of the embargo of her best friend and Lucius would use any excuse to see Cissa. The soon to be 3rd year Rodolphus had come over at the insistence of his parents, who despite the- to them unmentionable- sorting were vying for a sliver of the sizable Black fortune. While walking through the Blacks' meticulously kept grounds, Rodolphus had decided to impress his prospective bride by showing her the latest curse his father had taught him. He unleashed the dark magic on one of the prized swans who was wandering along the path towards the pond.

The swan had twisted disturbingly, writhing on the ground shrieking. Andy turned away, Cissa burrowed her head into Lucius' back while Lucius kept a cold mask on his face, letting no emotion out. Rodolphus laughed harshly, and Hermione noted in horror Bella's face took on a look of disgust mixed with a ghost of curiosity. Hermione did the only thing she knew to squash the dark root attempting take hold in Bella, she steeled herself then began to sob, begging for it to stop.

The curiosity completely vanished from Bella's face as Rodolphus merely laughed harder, mocking her best friend. Bella stormed forward yanking the wand right out of his hand, her body contorting to a painful angle for a moment in the curse's backlash as she physically cut off the dark spell. She bit back a shriek as the magic dissipated, then lobbed the wand with all her might into the pond despite the boy's angry threats. Lucius stepped in between the pair as Bella scooped up the swan and pulled a sniffling Mione behind her whose fake tears had turned into real ones of relief. Andy and Cissa took off after them while Lucius scuffled with the enraged pureblood who was now after vengeance.

Mrs Black had been horrified at her daughter's behavior and barricaded her into the home for the rest of the summer having only gotten a loose agreeance out of the Lestranges' for a possible wedding contract. Bella's last month of summer was filled with new lessons of refinement, Mrs Black feeling the need to restart from the beginning, since her daughter apparently learned to "run amok like a troll in that pushover den of iniquity."

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

Hermione and Bella climbed onto the train, thrilled to be united again and ready to begin their second year. Mrs Black had barred Bella, and Andy as well, from helping Cissa onto the train, afraid their poorer decisions would rub off on her youngest during the ride and forever damage the name of Black with a third less than ideal sorting. Lucius and Cissa took it in stride giving quick hugs and kisses to their sisters as they made their way to a purely Slytherin compartment with Regulus Black, Sirius' shy younger brother in tow. Bella scoffed at the ridiculousness of her mother as they hunted for Lily, as if Cissa would ever allow herself to be sorted in a different house than Lucius. They waved to their fellow puffs, Charles and Amos, as they continued their way through the train.

They found Lily and Severus sitting in a compartment waiting for them, Lily jumping up to hug them while Sev presented them each with a rare smile. Lily was bubbling with questions for Bella, having only heard from her through Mione. Bella refused to let Lily write her, terrified of her mother's retribution on both herself and Lily if she found out the halfblood who had dared to send her a howler- since no pureblood would have such atrocious manners- was actually muggleborn.

Anthony Zabini, Severus' one friend amongst his year in Slytherin, silently entered their compartment shortly after the train departed, settling himself beside Sev with a nod and roguish grin to the girls.

The sorting this year left the whole hall with a sigh of relief as it had maintained the status quo, Regulus and Cissa going to Slytherin as was expected. Hermione would bet their poor head of house, Professor Havens, was secretly cheering at having a normal year. His rabble of misfit 2nd year Hufflepuff girls having given him his first gray hairs at their inner squabbling and general dissension in the ranks.

Bones sniffed as she entered their dorm room, her request to move in with the third year girls denied. She shut herself within the curtains of her bed while the other three girls stayed up lounging about Mione's bed predicting what they'd learn in classes this year, impersonating the severe Mrs Black, and laughing into the late hours of the night.

The first surprise of the school year came with the second meeting of their study group. Cissa and Regulus had joined the previous week, bringing Slytherin participation to five (Anthony having snuck in without ceremony like a true snake midway through the previous year).

Andy and her fellow fifth year prefect, Ted Tonks, had just sat down with the group, the Malfoy siblings' little cousin Xeno Lovegood in tow, to start on their arithmacy work with Lucius when someone stepped out from behind a book shelf and cleared their throat.

The group looked up as one to see Remus Lupin, bashfully shuffling his foot. He looked across the students and met Hermione's eye, "Would you mind if I joined? Those desiring to excel academically in my house are few and far between."

The Slytherins at the table looked at Mione as well, slightly bristling at the possibility of a prank coming from their rival house. Hermione stared the shy werewolf down, ensuring herself of his intent. Eventually, a large smile stole across her face, "Of course Remus, someone has to make some effort in that lions den before the whole school is stuck carrying their weight."

Remus eyed her evenly, "Quite."

The others at the table chortled softly, and Remus let out a relieved sigh as Sev and Anthony made room for him.

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

Hermione found herself annoyed, not for the first time, with not only the other pureblood females but the chauvinistic period of the late 1960s magical community in general. They were finally allowed to practice against each other the basic defensive and offensive maneuvers in DADA, but while male participation was required, it was only optional among the girls. The muggle female students jumped at the chance, a mix of halfbloods opted to (dependent on how traditional their family was), while no pureblood females even attempted- how scandalous. Oh, they knew curses, but dueling was for men.

Hermione sat at her desk and seethed, merely watching with the other pureblood females as Lily shot them odd looks while she practiced stunners with a halfblood Gryffindor, Marlene McKinnon. Hermione noted Bones eyeing Lily, envious, and realized it must kill the future Head of the DMLE to be sitting on the sidelines like a proper lady. Bella was working on a potions essay, looking up at the action every now and again, but keeping any thoughts she had a bout it to herself. Druella's extensive lessons over the summer, and looming threat of howlers if she stepped a toe out of line, had kept her in check so far during the year. Alice, a Gryffindor pureblood, was knitting along with her Gryffindor dorm mate, chatting in hushed tones about the 'Household Spells for Witches' elective course offered starting 3rd year. Hermione cringed at the mere thought, 'Thank Merlin it's now an optional elective.' The young Malfoy rolled her eyes at the girls and trained her eyes back on the practicing students.

This went on for a few more classes, but by the second week of watching, Hermione had had enough. She stood up and stormed across the room wand drawn to the delight of the professor, surprise of the sitting females, and the disgruntled looks of most of the pureblood males in the room. She raised her wand against Lily and began with a lunge, swish, and flick. A war was coming and she couldn't afford to be rusty. By the third week, Bones, giving her a grudging nod, joined her.

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

Bella sat on her bed in the dorm holding a parchment in her hand, eyeing Hermione pensively.

"It's not proper for a lady to duel."

Hermione turned to face her, trying to tamp down the hysterical laughter at Bellatrix being against dueling. Either she had done her job of turning Bella light- ' _Err, gray_ '- too well or the formidable Mrs Black had finally gotten one of her ridiculous lessons to stick. Mione moved and sat beside her confused friend on the bed.

"There's a war coming Bella, you know it as much as I do. We can see the lines being drawn in this very school. The times are changing. We have to put aside such prejudice and embrace that we're the same as men when it comes to magical might, because the enemy won't discriminate - I won't be spared because I'm a lady. They're going to do their best to strike me down and they'll do it without hesitation. So, I can not afford to hesitate either. I refuse to be an ignorant fool in a duel because society thought to know better."

Hermione threw a look at her friend, then bustled off to brush her teeth, leaving Bella with a lot to think on: the inevitable conflict ahead, the different sides, where Hermione will stand amongst it, and the piece of parchment in her hand holding the key to a crazy childhood dream.

A few days later, Hermione showed up on the bleachers of the quidditch field with Lily, waiting for Bella to show up to watch the Hufflepuff quidditch tryouts with them. Bones sat a few rows down with Amos and Charles, leaning eagerly against the railing, having grown relaxed enough to leave her back exposed to Hermione. Their DADA duelling lessons allowing them to let off some steam against eachother.

"Where's Bella? She said she was going to come watch the practice." Lily worried her lip, tapping her foot against the bleacher in front of her.

"Probably warding of another Howler!" Charles called behind him. Hermione snorted, Mrs Black's howler had seethed this morning when she had written in protest to Bella practicing in DADA. The Hufflepuff table was bracing itself for the newest campaign of outrage from the Black matriarch. The girls had made quite the storm in the gossip mills; even Papa had written in worry over the lack or propriety. They had no idea how the Bones had taken it, but Amelia had gotten a letter from home that had made her blush and immediately throw it into the fire. Hermione assumed it wasn't good either.

As the tryouts were starting to get underway Bella finally appeared, carrying a broomstick, and- Hermione did a double take in disbelief- were those trousers she was wearing?! Hermione had worn jeans all the time as a muggleborn in the 1990s, but as a pureblood she had been restricted to dresses and skirts. Ladies did not show the shape of their legs; even Hermione did not try to push that rule.

Bella walked right up to Edgar Bones, not acknowledging her friends in the bleachers, and asked to try out for a beater position. Edgar stood rooted to the spot for a moment. Quidditch was much the same as dueling, only muggleborns and halfbood females played, and very few at that. No team had more than one female player, just by lack of popularity, and some had none at all.

To Edgar's credit he composed himself quickly, he was dating a sweet muggleborn witch who was very modern, and she had eventually won him over to her side of viewing things. He was, at present, the only pureblood in vocal support of the three girls learning to duel publicly.

"Are you sure about this Little Black?" He gave a soft crooked grin, "I want you to be positive before you bring a whole storm down upon our heads that this is what you want."

Bella shuffled her feet for a bit before nodding, her voice clear, "I've thought long and hard; I want this for me." A smile grew on her face, "Besides, it's not like mother can get any madder or more disappointed. What's she going to do, send a howler at each meal?"

"Don't give her any such ideas!" Edgar laughed with a pat to her back, "Then go ahead, show me what you can do."

Bella got on one of the school brooms and did just that. She looped, twirled, spun, and swung the bat like a woman on mission. Unleashing the fury and strength of suppressed heiress' everywhere. Lily cheered and screamed, Hermione jumping beside her not caring if someone tells her brother of her public loss of propriety. However, Amelia Bones' back was stiff and got more rigid with each successful blow of Bella's bat. Finally, like a shaken bottle of butterbeer, she just erupted, popping out of her seat and storming down the stands. She walked right up to her brother, a chaser and the captain of the team, and snatched his broom from his hands.

"I'm trying out too!" She hissed, her face red with embarrassment as she knotted her dress about her knees and sat side saddle on the broom. She had snuck out of the house every summer to help Edgar train for quidditch in an area they'd cleared in the woods, and she was tired of hiding her love of playing the game. She swiped a quaffle from her bemused brother and joined the tryouts for chaser.

It was a tryout to remember, Hermione and Lily screaming themselves horse along with the rest of the badger house, the spectacle even drew passersby to stop and park themselves in the bleachers. Severus and Anthony swung by as Bella lobbed a bludger straight into the keeper's gut.

"As if she wasn't scary enough before," Anthony commented dryly, alerting the girls to their presence. Lily and Sev laughed, while Hermione just nodded in agreeance as she watched the destruction left in her best friend's wake. How had she not seen this coming?

It came as no surprise, after witnessing them play, that Amelia and Bella made the team. Bones sent her dorm mates a nod after reading the roster, before racing out of the common room to the library to study. The other Hufflepuffs gathered about Bella, timidly patting her on the back in silent acceptance while a bemused Professor Havens smiled at the beginning signs of his slightly fractured house starting to knit itself together, finally.

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

The howlers had poured in frequently and loudly each morning, apparently Druella Black could get angrier. To her credit, at least in the eyes of high magical society, Bella Black was making quite the scandal, but her outrage was getting a bit excessive. Some of the Puffs were starting to bring earplugs to breakfast, and Dumbledore would do nothing to halt the abuse.

Everytime Professor Havens tried to ask for assistance he was shot down by the Headmaster's firm belief the parents had the right to scold their wayward children. Hermione no longer considered him a benevolent, albeit quirky, grandfather, especially since he never seemed to have a nice thing to send their way. He tended to save his special attention only for his pet Gryffindors leaving the rest of them to hang. The only consolation to the situation being Professor McGonagall was no longer sending them the stink eye and seemed to be slightly thawing towards them out of pity.

Relief came a week before the first quidditch game with the arrival of Lily Evans running into the Great Hall, grinning like a maniac. She toted a large glass jar in her arms and plunked it heavily on the dining table in front of them. Hermione and Bella sent her strange looks, but she waved them off, digging into her breakfast with vigor. They were finishing up when the dreaded mail arrived and the now familiar howler was dropped on Bella's plate. Lily stared at it, practically salivating, as it gave a jerk preparing to spew forth a fresh lecture of indignation.

"BELLATRIX ELIZA BLA-"

Lily lunged forward grasping the howler and chucked it quickly into the jar before her fingers were burnt too badly, slamming the lid shut. The shriek of Mrs Black's voice abruptly cut off by the jar, the lid merely rattling a bit as the rant seemed to pick up to full swing. There was dead silence in the hall until Charles and Amos stood up and cheered, followed swiftly by the rest of the table. They were all tired of hearing Druella's listing of not only Bella's shortcomings but those of everything Hufflepuff. Lily blushed prettily, while Bella and Hermione stared at her dumbstruck. All purebloods and halfbloods grew up knowing howlers couldn't be silenced, that's what made them so horrible- at least they thought they couldn't.

"How?"

"Simple really, a silencing charm on the jar and an unbreakable spell on the glass- Andy helped me with that part. Yes, the howler itself can't be tampered with, but no one ever said anything about it's surroundings."

Professor Havens praised Lily for her quick thinking, awarding her 100 house points despite Dumbledore's protests, going so far as to put a sticking charm on the jar, permanently gluing it where the three girls sat at every meal to prevent it's removal.

By the third day someone had even stuck a sign on it reading, "Time Out", making Bella giggle at the prospect of her mother being forcebly, albeit unknowingly, given one. Hermione suspected it was Gideon trying to get a smile out of Bella, but she wasn't going to tell. Breakfast became a time of laughter instead of dread for the whole house, and slowly the bonds of acceptance continued to tighten.

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

The morning of the first Hufflepuff quidditch dawned rainy and windy. Bella stood in front of their dorm room mirror, staring at her uniform pants- leggings more like- knowing her name will be dragged through the mud when she showed the shape of her legs to the whole school. Hermione and Lily watched their friend, slightly worried, from the edge of the bed.

"They're like tights!" Bella groaned, "What self respecting wizard will want a lady who's legs have been seen by hundreds? What was I thinking! It's bad enough most purebloods won't come near me with a 10ft broom, but now..."

Hermione wracked her brain for a solution. Bella deserved this happiness for herself. Bella was loyal through and through, Mione reaping the benefits daily that Voldemort had warped in her old life. She had to help her, even in this small way.

"I got it!" Hermione suddenly jumped to her feet, "I Dream of Genie!"

Bella stared at her like she'd lost her mind while Lily looked at her impressed she'd know a muggle show. The youngest Malfoy mentally berated herself by slipping a reference to something she only knew of from her old life, ' _Well there's no going back now_ '.

"It's a muggle show Mama and I saw parts of in a colored box, briefly, while having a girls day in muggle London over the summer." Hermione covered quickly, "Anyway, the how's not relevant. What IS important is her pants- they're billowy. So no one will be able to tell the shape of your legs AND they cinch back in at the ankle preventing them from obstructing your playing."

Hermione pulled out her wand and quickly transfigured Bella's pants from leggings to harem style, explaining away the advanced magic, for a second year anyway, to Mama showing her how to do quick alterations over the summer, "You never know when you need to lengthen a dress because it keeps riding above the ankles." She threw in a softly muttered water repellent spell- not willing to explain that away as well- for good measure to keep them from sticking to Bella's legs in the rain.

Bella nodded absently in agreeance to Mama's wisdom, smiling widely at herself in the mirror. It wasn't perfect, but it was enough to save some of her modesty. Bones who was sitting quietly on her bed, having moved from hostility to tentative acquaintances with her two roommates, looked beseechingly at Hermione. Mione gave her a soft smile and fixed her uniform pants as well. Bones jumped up and stood beside Bella in front of the mirror, they nodded at each other in their reflections. They could do this.

The game was brutal and horribly muddy and wet. Hufflepuff was playing Slytherin who were on a personal vendetta against the two pureblood witches who'd dare question the status quo. Lucius tried to call his teammates to order, but there was little he could do from the keeper hoops.

The bludgers were always screeching towards Amelia, and Bella was getting rammed every time the ref had his back turned, which was more often than it should have been. The serpents were jeering from the stands and the Puffs were shouting and booing indignation at the ref and Slytherin teams. Lily was almost in tears and Hermione kept praying for the safety of her friend and Amelia.

They continued doggedly on, the score 30-40 in Slytherin's favor. Bella sent a bludger- originally aimed for Amelia- careening halfheartedly towards Lucius who still had to duck out of the way, leaving the hoop undefended for Amelia to score.

The Hufflepuffs in the stands surged forward with cheers as the game tied up, but quickly began to shout in horror as the Slytherin Seeker, Rodolphus, shot at Amelia like a missile, ramming her off of her broom.

Bella, who had been shadowing Amelia to ward of the bludgers, lunged forward on her broom with a shout, "BONES!" She caught a falling Amelia by her arm. Bella heaved as she hoisted her annoying roommate onto her broom, clutching a slightly panicked Bones to her chest. One of the other chasers, a 4th year Thomas Fletchy, handing Amelia back her broom while Edgar railed at Lestrange and the ref.

Amelia shakily moved off Bella's broom back onto her own with a quick nod towards Bella. She flew to her brother, pulling him away from Lestrange and back into the game. Thomas managed another goal before Rodolphus caught the snitch.

The next morning a slightly muted Hufflepuff table sat quietly for breakfast; conversation still soured by the abuse the house had taken the day before during the match. The mail arrived and Bella quickly stuffed her scarlet envelope in the 'Time Out' jar, and proceeded to finish her meal. The real shock coming with the arrival of a second one landing in front of Bones.

"WHAT IN THE WORLD WERE YOU THINKING YOUNG LADY!? AS IF DUELLING WASN'T ENOUGH, YOU COULD HAVE DIED, AND ALL FOR A STUPID GAM-"

Bella had gotten up and snatched the howler from Bones' plate, juggling it as she rushed back to her jar to deposit the letter, her fingers singed slightly.

"-DISSAPOINTED BEL-" The voice of Druella Black cut in and out as the lid opened and shut on the jar to allow the additional howler. The puffs stared as the lid clanked angrily back and forth trying to keep both letters trapped inside, but the jar held, the letters eventually bursting into flame within. Amelia looked down the table at Bella, a slow smile blossoming on her face.

The following night Amelia showed up to their study group in the library, a small mischievous light in her eye tempered by a nervous students from the other houses kept their eyes glued on their books, unanimously deciding to let the Puffs sort out their own inner house dynamics. Lily, Hermione, Charles, and Amos waved her over, but Bones remained hovering nearby for another moment until Bella, who continued to scratch away at her essay, pushed out the chair across from her with her foot.

Hermione smiled softly, waiting for Bones to settle into her spot, "So, that transfiguration essay assigned yesterday..."

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

The Christmas holidays were relatively peaceful, the Most Ancient and Noble families met up for their big Christmas gathering they held every five years. Even more families than normal showed up, everyone wanting to know the gossip as war was looming on the horizon.

Hermione left Bella near the orchestra- arguing quidditch strategy with Gideon, Edgar, and Amelia- when she spotted Walburga Black making her way over. Hermione discretely fled out of the ballroom, desperately attempting to avoid Sirius' mother who was determined to make a match between Sirius and Hermione. According to Walburga the Malfoys shouldn't mind a Gryffindor son-in-law if she would be forced to bear the shame of a Hufflepuff daughter-in-law. Mama and Papa wouldn't agree to the contract without their daughter's consent and she was refusing to give it.

Maybe if Sirius grew up in the next few years Hermione would consider it, but as of right now, after his disloyalty to Mama and how he treated Severus, she would rather eat her own wand.

She was sneaking out towards the brightly lit gardens when Sirius snagged her hand. ' _Think of the devil and he appears._ '

"I don't want to talk with you Black!" Hermione huffed, snatching her hand back. She turned her back to him, lifting her periwinkle skirts to descend the stairs to the main gardens.

"Hermione, wait. Please!" Sirius insisted, moving towards her again. "I'm sorry about what I said about your mum. I shouldn't have insulted her. I just-"

Hermione glared back at him, "Hufflepuffs value loyalty above all. You should have been more careful about what comes out of your mouth. You chose Potter over family, hopefully he'll make a good wife for you, because you lost your chance with me."

"Mione, it was over a year ago. Besides, lots of people say things about your mum-"

SMACK

Sirius grabbed the side of his face, while Mione clutched her sore hand to her chest, her face red with fury.

"Go boil your head Siri!"

Mione rushed down the stairs, passing Lucius and Cissa on the way. Sirius went to charge after her, but was intercepted by her brother.

"I'm not the best versed in the language of women. However, I believe it's safe to assume what she said was code for 'leave me alone' and a gentleman listens to the wishes of a lady." He turned Sirius back towards the main ballroom, "So beat it, git."

Cissa nodded demurely as she patted her cousin's shoulder, "Going after her now will kill any chance you have left."

Hermione moved swiftly along the roses, looking for a place to sit down, when she spotted Fabian sitting on a bench down the next bend, staring contemplatively ahead. She paused as she studied him, having rarely seen him less then fully animated. He was the calmer of the two twins, no doubt, but not normally so pensive. At least not that she'd seen.

He sighed, slumping back into his seat, moving his blue gaze to the stars, humming softly.

Hermione felt her heart quicken slightly as she silently observed the fifteen year old boy, then she shook her head to clear it as she moved on without disturbing him. She didn't want to be a creeper, besides she was thirteen for all intents and purposes- not counting her previous life- too young for such thoughts. ' _Although_ ', she leaned against a fountain a few rows down, _'My family is being offered marriage contracts for me already. Maybe...'_

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

The quidditch game against Ravenclaw proved much better than the one versus Slytherin. The Puffs beat Ravenclaw by a mile, Andy threatening to curse Bella if she wouldn't stop talking about the match during Tuesday night study group. It had the badger den in high spirits for their match against Gryffindor.

The weather during their final game of the season was clear, one of the first sunny days of spring. The stands were filled and the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors were shouting and cheering, on their feet almost the entire game. Even Andy had worn Puff colors in support of her sister, and Cissa had discretely tied a yellow and black ribbon into her hair, Lucius too much of a gentleman to mention it and the rest of the Slytherin house too nervous to cross the Malfoy heir to comment.

The game was going in Hufflepuff's favor for the time being, Bella and the other beater, a 7th year, were keeping the Lions barely on their brooms and almost in constant fear for their lives. Thomas and the Bones siblings were doing their best to wrack up the points- a force to be reckoned with- but Gideon, Gryffindor's seeker, was unmatched in skill.

Gideon feinted towards the Slytherins stands, diving sharply towards the green and silver crowd, honing in on a certain blonde keeper. Tucker, Hufflepuff's seeker, chased after him, hoping to get his sights on the snitch. Gideon pulled up, almost grazing the top of Lucius' head, but poor Tucker couldn't pull up on his broom quick enough. Anthony and Severus sent up a hasty shield spell, protecting their little group of friends from injury. Tucker smashed into it and skidded sideways, falling in a heap on top of the Lestrange brothers and McNair.

Gideon crowed with laughter as he flew towards his twin, doing barrel rolls and loops on his broomstick. "Did you see the look on Lucy's face!?" Gideon chortled. He was almost next to him when suddenly Fabian's face went panicked, "GIDEON LOOK OUT!"

Gideon shot a quick glance sideways before hastily diving off his broom, onto his brother's, to prevent from being completely flatten by a bludger.

"THAT'S IT! WHO GAVE HER A BAT!?" Gideon shrieked, clutching onto his twin for dear life.

Edgar snuck by and nonchalantley stole the quaffle from a dazed Fabian, "Why thank you!"

Gryffindor won the match by 60 pts, Gideon eventually catching the snitch, but Bella still considered it a win.

The second half of the school year was finally coming to a close with awkward tension still between Sirius and Hermione, even Potter tried to step in to smooth some of the mess, a bad choice, but at least he tried. Classes continues to be boring- to Hermione anyway-, Remus continued to sneak out of Gryffindor for the group study sessions, the gossip mill had finally found something better to talk about than the 2nd year upstarts in Hufflepuff, and Bones friendship made life in the dorms the best they'd ever been for Hermione- in either life.

Hufflepuff finally closed rank around their odd 2nd year females. Professor Havens breathed a sigh of relief, he had high hopes for those four girls in regards to the badger house- a force soon to be reckoned with. "At the very least they are going to turn my whole head gray," he murmured to himself as he made his way down the corrider, listening to the shouts from the DADA classroom.

"Is that best you can do Bones?" Bella called, sending a stupify at Amelia. Bones rolled out of the way and threw the leg lock curse back with a laugh, "In your dream Bella!"

'Yes', Hermione thought, ducking a spell flung by Lily, _'These are changing times._ '

* * *

A/N: Let me know what you think :)


	6. Into the Light

**Disclaimer:** Do not own HP

 **A/N:** Sorry for the delay this weekend. I hope you all enjoy this chapter :)

* * *

 **Into the Light**

Year 3

Third year came upon Hermione like a thief in the night. The changes she had made felt like mere ripples in a stream, made irrelevant by the rushing current. And that current was the approaching war; they were at the cusp about to fall over. It was 1970 and dissension hummed in the air between the light and dark sides. Families like the Malfoys trying to keep their heads above the rising water. Tom Riddle, now going exclusively by Voldemort to all but his closest/oldest 'friends', made almost monthly calls upon the manor. He wanted the slippery Malfoys, and their resources, on his side of the chasm. He was confident they weren't against him, but he wasn't sure they were with him either- Abraxus had become rather unpredictable thanks to the influence of _that_ _Lovegood_ interloper.

Hermione sat in the drawing room overlooking the gardens, making a pros and cons list of which books she was going to spell for the upcoming school year to read during class. She was already most of the way through the family wards section of the library, an impressive feat to be sure since their collection was quite extensive and complex. She was debating between an old tome detailing runes or one her many greats grandfather had written on tethering their wards to the land, when she saw her father in the doorway studying her. She waved her wand above the parchment to dry it and then quickly folded and pocketed it.

"Yes Papa?"

Abraxus pushed away from the doorway, approaching his daughter with a small smile, "Do you have some time Little Rose? I need to speak with you about a delicate subject."

"You didn't forget your anniversary, did you?" Hermione tutted, "Mama will not be pleased."

Papa broke into laughter, "I most certainly did not, and she most certainly would be displeased-to put it mildly!" He sat on the small love seat by the window and patted the spot beside him.

Hermione grinned and moved to sit beside him, snuggling into his side. Her Papa was one of the best men she knew, and even though she was mentally much older than almost 14 she still loved how he could make her feel safe, a true father.

Papa beamed down at her, tickling her side before broaching the subject, "What's going on between young Sirius and you? You've constantly rebuffed him since you came home after your first year at Hogwarts. Mama said she tried to talk with you about it last Christmas after the ball, but you kept changing the subject."

Hermione stiffened and tried to pull away from the arm wrapped about her.

"Nothing, we're just not friends anymore."

Papa scowled, looking down at her puzzled, "This isn't because of where you two were sorted, is it? We raised you better than to judge someone based on their sor-"

"No Papa. I wasn't the one with the problem."

Papa sighed, "Mione dear, I'm not crazy about Walburga and Orion either, not the best of in laws to be sure, but Sirius isn't on the same path as them. You both can hide in the shadows between dark and light. A contract between you two would prevent the other dark families from trying to get a hold of you and would keep you from being a target in this upcoming war, as you would be if you married into a known light family. In these times he could offer you protection; if something happened to Mama, Lucius, and me he would keep you safe, even from his parents."

Hermione stood up and turned to face her father, "So that's it then? I should just sign up to spend my whole life with some tosser who has no respect for my family heritage because it's the easy thing to do?"

Papa reeled back, "Did he say something about you Little Rose? Did he make fun of you being in Hufflepuff? Because let me assure you, he has nothing to stand on being sorted into Gryffindor where the brash and loud mouthed go to knock any remaining brain cells out of their skulls."

Hermione shook her head.

Papa stood up and placed a hand on her shoulder, "I know he has a mischievous streak, pranks and what not- God have mercy on the poor Black house elves- but that's never upset you like this before. Tell me what is wrong."

Hermione looked down at the floor and mumbled, "He insulted Mama on the train in front of a bunch of other students, he said she was dark because she married you and called her a loon."

Papa stiffened.

"Then when I called him on it last Christmas, he implied it didn't matter because 'everyone' makes fun of her."

Papa's grip on her shoulder tightened, then he relaxed his hand and pulled her into a hug. He held her for a few moments then knelt down until he was eye level, "Boys say stupid, hurtful, things when they're young, and if your mum held me to some of the things that I spouted when I was even older than Siri... " Hermione looked up quizzically at Papa, her parents didn't talk about his life at school prior to them being together, "Well then, she would have never let me near her. When she decided to let me court her she took me at face value, at that moment, not who I had been or who I could possibly become. She was, and is, a very special woman much like yourself."

He kissed her forehead, "Let's see in a few years if he becomes a man who respects and values all of you, even your Lovegood quirks!" he pinched her chin and she giggled, "But you may be right, he might not be the wizard for you. I'll keep Walburga at bay, fear not!"

They heard a knock on the door and Mama waltzed in, a smile on her face. "I've made cookies! My- no longer so little- Mongoose has already found the tray, so you better hurry Little Rose, before he scarfs them all! You know how growing wizards are these days."

Hermione grinned and 'glided briskly' towards the kitchens, leaving her parents behind. She eyed them a little bit later while Lucius and her finished polishing up the treats at the small table in the kitchen by the window. They were strolling the gardens, Papa's hand wrapped possessively about Mama's waist, their heads together. ' _Oh, for a love like that_.'

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

Hermione felt the tension during the opening feast at Hogwarts, the whole hall like a steaming tea kettle about to burst forth. She sent a quick thanks to God that her sorting hadn't been this year; it would have led to a riot. Lily- the new 3rd yr female prefect for Hufflepuff- and Bones sat across from Hermione and Bella during the meal, discussing bedroom layout and if Lily could or couldn't fill the room with Beatles posters in her protest of the band's break up. The 'Time Out' jar still glued like a center piece in between them, being filled with cookies and treats by the house elves during dinners as the elves' way of encouragement to the estranged Black.

Lily smiled over Hermione's shoulder to a slightly worried looking Severus and Lucius, giving them a discrete thumbs up. Hermione looked behind her and blew a kiss to her brother, mouthing the word "Mongoose" in his direction, his worry turning to annoyance quickly, Cissa and Regulus trying to stifle chuckles while Anthony laughed outright. Bones groaned dramatically and slouched over onto the table top, "My life is destined to be filled with serpents, isn't it?"

Bella flicked some of her pumpkin pastie at her with a sniff. They, and the surrounding Puffs, started cracking up until Lily noticed eyes from a different table watching them. She nudged Bones and gestured to Gryffindor, Bella and Mione following the movement. The Prewitt twins were staring at them with looks on their faces Hermione couldn't quite distinguish. Her laughter died down as she made eye contact with Fabian. His face broke into a dazzling smile and he threw her a wink. Potter and Sirius were watching the twins with frowns on their faces, a blushing Lupin looking determinedly at his blood pudding, not wanting to encourage his housemates. Hermione heard her brother start choking behind her, and broke eye contact with the auburn haired Gryffindor to look at him. Lucius' polite mask was gone as he stared towards her in horror, Cissa patting his back. No, not towards her, past her- at Fabian.

Bella looked at her too, "Is something wrong with Gideon? He's staring at me funny."

Mione shrugged her shoulders and continued on with her meal ignoring the ruckus at both the Slytherin and Gryffindor tables. "Beats me! Maybe you knocked him too hard with a bludger last year. Pass the potatoes Amei."

Bones shot her a knowing look as she handed the platter over, "Of course, Mione."

Classes began with intensity. The females were encouraged a bit more to participate in DADA, and Andy ended up rising to the call, leading the rest of Ravenclaw with her. Gryffindor, the house of the brave of heart, not to be outdone by the 'pushovers' and 'nerds' followed step quickly, leaving only Slytherin and the most stiff of traditionalist females to still sit on the sidelines during class.

Laughter eased the last of the tension in Hufflepuff, Bella and Hermione fully accepted into the badger family. They were proud of their third year girls who were stirring up tradition and forging a picture of what a future could look like. The house fell into high camaraderie, having games nights between all the years in the common room late into the night on Fridays, cookies flinched from the kitchen piled high on a plate. Lily and Charles taught Bella to play cribbage, and soon housemates were fleeing in laughter and terror from the card shark protege.

The first Hogesmeade weekend was just around the corner and the girls were excitedly making plans over breakfast, Charles and Amos occasionally adding their input while Druella's latest howler sizzled quietly in the jar. Suddenly two blue eyed miscreants appeared on either side of Bella and Hermione.

"Fairest maidens," Fabian began, batting his eyes at the girls.

"Will you allow us to escort you on your first Hogsmeade trip?" Gideon continued.

Bones and Lily tried to stifle laughter, at the surprised looks on their roommates faces.

Hermione wasn't sure quite what to say, she looked at Bella who appeared just as speechless. Well there went Mrs. Black's theory no one would want to be with her middle daughter.

Lily took mercy on her friends and stepped in, "Sorry boys. I know you've been looking forward to the time you could ask them," Hermione looked at Lily baffled. "But," Lily continued unperturbed, "The four of us want to experience it together. Maybe another time the girls would be honored to let two such fine gentlemen escort them."

"Do you hear that Fabian? Lily Flower thinks we're going to split up their friendship!" Gideon said aside to his brother in mock horror.

Fabian's blue eyes widened, "We're hurt. Deeply wounded, Lily, that you would think we wouldn't include you and Amelia in our escapades. This invite was for the four of you, and if need to we can round up some more gentlemen so none of you feel excluded."

Bones tried to cover a laugh as Lucius appeared behind the Gryffindors.

"I'm sorry to dash your plans, but it would appear Mione's brother has an issue."

The two boys looked back at the seething Slytherin, Severus standing beside him.

"Yes, sorry to crush your hopes," Lucius stated coldly, looking decidedly not sorry, "But my sister and Bella have already agreed to allow me to show them and their friends around for their first trip."

Bella cut in with a snort, finally recovered, "Yeah when we were like 10."

Lucius shot her a quick look, "Nevertheless, a lady always keeps her word. Besides father would be most cross if I did not look after them as he requested." He held up a letter briefly with Papa's signature on it, as if his wishes were law.

The Gryffindors appeared like they might make more of a scene when Hermione touched Fabian's shoulder, eyeing him beseechingly. Fabian studied her expression, nodding slowly while Lucius cleared his throat with a slightly strangled sound.

"Of course Lucy," Fabian relented, "Another time to be sure." He tugged on one of Mione's locks and left, pulling his brother with him.

Lucius glared at Hermione, "Don't encourage that dolt Little Rose." He turned and swept away indignantly, Sev shooting them all a quick grin and hurrying after him.

Lily, Bones, and Bella fell over themselves laughing, Hermione eventually succumbing to the laughter herself.

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

Dumbledore paced in his office, the four heads of house watching him from the sides. The war had just erupted, the first muggleborn house attacked by a group who called themselves 'Death Eaters'.

Slughorn piped up, "They're both exceedingly bright in potions, in fact all three of them are, and they keep Ms. Bones right up there with them, although she has to study a bit more. Still, Ms. Bones is bright as well, and has the best understanding for plant properties and what they do in her year."

Dumbledore barely slowed before picking back up his speed, "That's the problem," he mused. "They're too bright. Average students are pawns, they're led but don't change the tides of war. These two though, I don't know what they have planned allowing themselves to be sorted in Hufflepuff." He slumped into a seat, "Snakes in Hufflepuff; I'm afraid they're recruiting students to this Voldemort's side. They've already won the badger house over."

Professor Havens jumped to his feet, fed up with the attack on the members of his house. "Those two girls don't have a dark bone in their bodies. The hat wouldn't sort anyone but a true Hufflepuff into our house. We are the house of loyalty and hardwork; we've never had a witch or wizard in our house who had gone dark." He stared down the rest of them, "I don't see you going after young Sirius Black, and he's far more disruptive and antagonistic then the two girls combined; picking on Mr Snape with a passion."

McGonangall looked about to protest, but Professor Havens cut her off. "Of course not, no Gryffindor could go dark according to your logic even though history has proven that theory wrong. You're disgustingly biased, and it's bordering on outrageous. You stopped letting Walburga's howlers into the castle, but you continue to allow Druella to shriek in the halls. As for the rest of my house, the other Hufflepuffs aren't stupid sheep. They're not drawn to them for power, but because of the hope their actions promise: girls with the most polarizing of backgrounds becoming the best of friends. They're changing things, and it's time this castle saw change, even if it means Gryffindor isn't leading the charge for once!"

Professor Havens turned on his heel and stormed out leaving a mixed set of reactions behind him. Professor Flitwick nodded, "I couldn't have said it better" and he too followed after Havens.

Slughorn looked at the remaining two and shook his head at an unmoved headmaster and a slightly sheepish McGonagall. "Sorry Dumbledore, Minerva. I know it's easier to try to paint students with the same brush as their families, but those two should be the least of your worries. I have students in my own house who are doing everything to keep themselves out of this 'Dark Lord's' clutches, and they're floundering without our aid." He bustled out, leaving the two behind.

"Albus," Minerva began, "I think they may be right. We've got far more worries. Those two are Hufflepuffs to the core, Ms. Black would follow Ms. Malfoy to the gates of Hell itself, as would Ms. Bones and Ms. Evans."

"Precisely," Dumbledore sighed, staring at the ceiling looking for answers, "The question is, who is Ms Malfoy following?"

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

A snowball slammed into the side of Lucius' head and he whirled about, trying to find the culprit, the four girls, Anthony, and Severus laughing. Winter was upon them and Christmas break soon to be here.

Fabian peered out from behind a building, making a hooting sound. Lucius turned glaring, only to have another snowball smack into the back of his head. Gideon strutted out from behind a tree doing a little dance of glee.

"Oi, Lucy! This is the third time in a row you've escorted the ladies to Hogsmeade. Don't you think we get a chance yet?"

Andromeda laughed loudly as she passed by, Ted holding her hand. Lucius scowled at them briefly before dusting the snow from his person.

"Not at all, someone has to protect these ladies from ruffians."

"I'll have you know, our mum raised gentlemen!" Fabian called out.

Anthony snorted, "We have no doubt Lady Prewitt endeavored painstakingly to do so. Lucius' fear is because we're quite positive you didn't pay your mum any mind!"

The girls broke out into snickers while Sev fought to hold in a laugh.

"Then how about we take them to the upcoming yule ball instead?" Gideon persisted.

Lucius let out a small roar, "Not on your life Prewitt! They're third years; they can't even go until next year."

"Now Lucy, Lucy, Lucy." Fabian tutted, "That's not right. You're taking the lovely Ms. Narcissa Black again this year and she's only a second year."

"It's different," Lucius snarled, "We're engaged."

"Ah!" Gideon crowed, "That's all we need Fabian. Let's have Dad draw up the marriage contracts, then we can take our little badgers to the dance or Hogsmeade whenever we wish!"

Lucius' paled, sputtering in horror when Molly Prewitt came up behind them, a firm grasp on Arthur Weasley's hand. "Don't you dare!" She fumed, aghast, "Even joke about letting such filth into our home!"

Hermione reeled back from the insult, she hadn't seen Molly look at her like that since 4th year when Rita Skeeter had written all those lies in the Daily Prophet, a lifetime ago now.

Lucius turned on her, outrage clear upon his face, "What did you just slur upon the Ancient and Noble House of Malfoy!"

"You heard me, Death Eaters!"

Lucius looked like he'd been slapped, the neutral Zabini affronted, and all four of the girls plus Severus jumped in between them. Even the Prewitt boys got in the face of their sister, expressions cold.

However, the real surprise to the standoff came in the appearance of Edgar Bones and his muggleborn girlfriend, Sally Daniels.

"Did you just call a daughter of the Ancient and Noble House of Bones a Death Eater?" Edgar was livid his voice low and dangerous, and Sally, whose parents had been killed in a recent attack, glared venomously.

Molly tried to backpedal, "Not her, the two Malfoys and Black."

"Oh, so you believe the House of Bones associates with Death Eaters?! That Hufflepuff would allow such evil amongst our house?"

Molly stood tongue tied with Arthur Weasley standing beside, firmly but silent, not having the family standing to jump into a potential feud between the Ancient and Noble Houses.

Edgar turned his back on Molly Prewitt, "Come along Amelia, Bellatrix, and Hermione. The Ancient and Noble House of Bones will not stand amongst the House of Prewitt nor the lesser House of Weasley, neither should our friends." The Hufflepuff continued on his way to Hogsmeade with his girlfriend, the four Hufflepuff girls looking at each other and the three Slytherins before bounding after Edgar and Sally. Lucius and Severus followed closely behind with Anthony bringing up the rear, shaking his head at the foolishness.

The two Prewitt twins stared after the snakes and badgers- crushed- turning to their abashed older sister, "Molly, what have you done?"

The news of the snub and feud between the two ancient and historically light families rocked Hogwarts, the gossip mill on fire. Dumbledore was beside himself with worry, the light side had to stay united or they would fall.

The Prewitts were not welcome amongst any of the Hufflepuffs, the house pulling rank around their scorned third year badger cubs. The twins were devastated, trying to talk some sense into their sister.

The Yule ball arrived and the students years 1 - 3 in Hufflepuff cooed and cheered over the older students in all their bedazzled finery, then threw them out so they could have a party of their own. Lily supplied the music- the Beatles- and they played games and drank bottles of butterbeer Charles and Amos had brought back to the dorm from the Three Broomsticks. They crashed in the common room to sleep in tangled piles of students, games, food, pillows, and blankets, making the older students work hard not to trip over anything or anyone on their way back in.

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

Christmas break brought a few surprises of it's own. Lord Voldemort made an appearance for dinner, insisting he eat with the family. Abraxus politely relented and ushered him into the dining room.

Dinner was stiff and formal; everyone but Riddle horribly uncomfortable. Voldemort praised Lucius on his grades and future potential, making many hints of a great future amongst his ranks. Lucius smiled politely, "I will think on it when I graduate, for now I must focus on school alone. A fool is of no value to anyone."

Riddle nodded excitedly and turned his attention on Hermione, making the whole table stiffen, "And the little Hufflepuff. Making quite the stir at school; I heard you led the push for the ladies to learn to duel."

Hermione tried to hold in a glare, that was still a sore subject between her and Papa, "Yes," Hermione sniffed, "I have just as much right to fight for my beliefs as any other. I will not let this world fall to ruin."

Voldemort grinned like a chesire cat, "Ahh, such spirit. Yes, the mudbloods and blood traitors will lead our whole civilization to disaster. We must purge them out ruthlessly, even the women should aid in the endeavor for a better future."

Hermione nodded politely, mask firmly in place, "Fools should not be allowed to have power and those that follow them should be erradicated with extreme prejudice." The Malfoy seniors held their breath, Lucius wanting to reach across the table and throttle her himself. Surely the Dark Lord wasn't that-

"I like you Ms. Malfoy, we have similar vision. And growing into such a beauty too." He pulled on a blonde curl, smoothing the lock between his fingers. "I could use someone of your... Loyalty."

Hermione held back a shudder of pure disgust, ' _over my dead body_ ', and offered a fake smile, pulling her hair back to her and wrapping it all up into a loose braid. "I agree with my brother; I must focus on my schoolwork to reach my potential."

"My my Abraxus, you have quite the studious children. I would have thought they'd been sorted into Ravenclaw."

Mama grinned, the first true smile of the night from the Malfoys, "They must get it from me. My line values wisdom."

"Of course," Riddle appeased, the rest of the meal falling to silence.

The real shock came a few weeks later at the end of winter break with the arrival of Edgar and his father, Lord Gabriel Bones. They appeared requesting an audience with the Malfoy family.

"Lord and Lady Malfoy," Gabriel began, "We find ourselves in dangerous times; loyal and shrewd allies are hard to come by. The older houses are taking sides, and while I know the 'light' is where we stand, they make me nervous with their lack of forethought. Running forth with no plans, just the bravado that they are right. I fear they will bring my house and children to disaster."

Mama inclined her head, complete agreeance on her end. Gabriel continued, "I've thought long and hard, listening to the council of my wife and future heir. We have come to understand the Malfoys are in a tight position, having to balance the choices of foolhardy childhood with a chilling reality." He stared Papa down, seemingly reading his soul, and whatever he found must have swayed him. "But your true desire, is for the best of our world, encompassing all it has to offer for the sake of your children. We, the Most Ancient and Noble House of Bones, offer to stand by the House of Malfoy. Our children with yours - to whatever end."

Papa was taken aback, his mask completely gone. The house of Malfoy had ancient ties with other- very dark- houses. Ties Papa refused to renew or rely on, none of them being on the side they wished to fight on. The Malfoys were relying on their resources and powerful name alone, their only option to ride out the war on a shakey neutrality without at least one influential ally- the Lovegoods being too obscure to offer much aid. Abraxus stared at Gabriel's offered hand then his youngest child, trying to wrap his mind around how this alliance with one of the most powerful light families had fallen in the lap of a Malfoy. This was a turning point, a rare chance to change the path of his house for the better. He had come upon it just once before, when a quirky Ravenclaw with wise amber eyes had also held out her hand, offering him a better fate. He hadn't been a fool then, and he wasn't ready to start now.

Papa nodded and stood slowly, clasping Gabriel's hand, "The Most Ancient and Noble House of Malfoy will proudly stand with the House of Bones. Our children with yours- to whatever end." Their magic shown brightly around them, sealing the alliance for at least two generations.

In that moment, unbeknownst to the rest of the wizarding world, the Ancient and Noble House of Malfoy did the unimaginable- they stepped out of the shadows and into the light.

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

Break ended and Hermione found herself missing the Prewitt twins, or more specifically Fabian. The quirky Gryffindor had always been persistently near, trying to convince her and Lucius to let him escort her anywhere, even if it was just dinner. But now, after the slur, he was having to keep himself at a distance. When Hermione caught his eye he looked like a kicked puppy, which was funny because she felt like one.

Classes resumed as did the quidditch matches, Hufflepuff working hard to secure the quidditch house cup for Edgar in his final year. The Hufflepuff match against Slytherin this year resulted in the Puff's victory, Lestrange's skull fractured by a bludger Bella may or may not have delivered intentionally to the back off his head after a second attempt to boot Amei off her broom.

The Gryffindor game was almost a cake walk, Fabian and Gideon, a chaser and seeker respectively, didn't have the heart to duck Bella's bludgers, or really play at all against the Hufflepuffs for that matter. Almost taking it as an act of penance, to Bella's horror as she accidentally broke Gideon's arm. Fabian and Arthur had to drag a practically foaming Molly off the field to the hospital wing, Bella standing their dumbstruck long after the game had ended.

They took the cup with their match against Ravenclaw, although Amei got a broken collar bone for her troubles, a still slightly rattled Bella being too slow on the block. Bella had apologized profusely as Bones waved her off, exclaiming she'd have far more injuries if Bella wasn't such a good watchdog to begin with.

Hufflepuff cheered and stomped once Amei had recovered, going full out in their party to celebrate their team and their captain who had worked so tirelessly throughout his years as the lead chaser. Edgar made the night memorable by dropping to one knee to propose to a blushing Sally, begging her to be the future Lady Bones.

The year ended with Gryffindor taking home the house cup, Ravenclaw right behind, and Hufflepuff on their heels. Hermione sat back scheming as she listened to her friends on the train home, she was determined to see the yellow house restored in the eyes of all before she graduated. She wanted the whole wizarding world to see the badgers the way she did now- fierce.


	7. Finding the Silver Lining

**Disclaimer:** As always, don't own HP

 **A/N:** I really struggled with the timing in this chapter. I had all of the events planned out, but trying to place them in a good sequence so the year was balanced took lots of rework. Still not fully satisfied, but it is what it is. Thank you for all of the wonderful reviews. I greatly appreciate your encouragement; it keeps me happily writing away ;)

* * *

 **Finding the Silver Lining**

Year Four

The summer of 1971 brought with it a precursor to the horrors that were coming. Death eaters were making random strikes, sometimes wiping out households, other times merely causing damage to make a statement. They were, for the moment, only targeting muggles and muggleborn families, but it wouldn't be long before they gained more power. The government was scrambling, trying to recruit aurors to hold back the forces of the rising dark lord, but they weren't sure who was on which side yet, who could be trusted?

Hermione bounced on the train with Bella, awaiting her other two friends' arrival. Fourth year couldn't start soon enough; she'd had dreams all summer of her last time in Dumbledore's office during the second war. It was time she started hunting for the magic hidden in the badger den, and while Malfoy manor had nothing on Helga Hufflepuff, she knew the Hogwarts library should. The door to their compartment opened, Mione looked up expecting the green eyes of Lily, but instead got the blue eyes of one Fabian Prewitt.

"Sorry," Gideon mumbled from behind his brother, "Wrong compartment." He grabbed Fabian and pulled him down the corridor, Lucius fast on their heels.

"Were they bothering you?" Lucius questioned darkly, taking in the upset looks on the girls' faces.

"No," Hermione breathed wistfully.

"They never do anymore," Bella mumbled. Even Gemini gave a forlorn hoot, missing the snacks the twins use to sneak him.

Lucius nodded, the only one happy about the news, and kissed both of them on the heads before exiting to find Cissa.

Lily and Sev appeared next; the latter giving the girls a quick hug before heading off in search of Lucius, Anthony, and Regulus. Lily stared at her downtrodden friends questioningly until Hermione just shook her head. "We're fine."

"We think," Bella added.

Hermione nodded her agreeance, staring at the window.

"Ok..." Lily drawled as she took a seat beside Bella, Bones entering the compartment shortly after. She took in the scene of the two purebloods and looked to Lily for answers. The red head could only shrug, just as baffled.

The year took off with a bang. DADA now requiring mandatory hands on work in class for all students. The last of the holdouts in Ravenclaw and Gryffindor sighed in resignation, Hufflepuff shrugged already having complete participation, but the Slytherin house went into full protest. Most of the female students walking out of class, noses high. Hermione was fine with letting them skip; if that meant less capable troops for Voldemort, then that was fine by her. But she knew better than to discount them completely, quite a few of them knew nasty spells taught at home. You didn't need good aim for those, just enough time to unleash them and surprise. They were to be underestimated at a fools peril.

With the tensions of the war, and to fix what Lily called 'Hogwart Inadequacies', Lily began an orientation night in the Hufflepuff commonroom once a week to teach incoming muggleborns sorted into the badger den about wizarding society customs most magicals took for granted. Her hopes were to help assimilate the students more rapidly and prevent them from being as noticeable of targets either inside or outside the walls of Hogwarts. As much as she hated to admit it, it was much safer these days to pretend to be a halfblood. Besides, ignorance bred fear, and there was enough of that in the air already.

The other girls, Charles, and Amos, jumped into Lily's project with a gusto, helping her with study plans, knowledge, and skits. Hermione helped when she could, but after the first few weeks she started using the time her friends were distracted for research on Helga Hufflepuff, feigning an arithmacy project.

Their intra-house study group continued meeting as usual, although with the youngest in the group now being third year, they also started getting together in Hogsmeade at the Three Broomsticks to just unwind without essays in the way.

Hermione eyed those about the table, nursing her butterbeer, as Bones, Bella, and Anthony told an anticdote about some bizarre event in divination class the other day. Severus snorted at the ridiculousness of even taking the class, he shared Mione's view that it was pure hokum. Lily, Xeno, and Charles listened to the story in rapt attention, the two fourth year Puffs having opted out of the class and Xeno having not been there since he was in the divination class a year below. Amos and Regulus talked runes with Lucius who was idly playing with Narcissa's hand as he explained a complicated norse symbol. Cissa chatted Yule ball dresses with Andy, while Ted nodded along like a good boyfriend. Hermione's thoughtful expression caught Lucius' eye and he stuck his tongue out at her quickly before sending her a bright grin and continuing his conversation. Hermione smiled at her brother's antics as she began to braid her long hair, joining in on the divination discussion. Remus snuck over for a bit to ruffle Sev's and Charles' hair, poke fun at Anthony, and clink his butterbeer with Amos before taking back off to where ever the marauders were. This was bliss. She had been worried initially about the boys getting along, being from different houses with no family bonds, but she was pleased to see them slowly becoming like family over the years. Anthony and Charles, the trouble makers, having bonded over quidditch, and Severus, Amos, and Remus over books and potions. Lucius was the older brother, Ted the goofy brother-in-law that everyone loved, while Regulus and Xeno were cajoled and lightly tormented, but fiercely protected.

In this Hogwarts bubble, they could ignore the outside world for a little longer. They could be who they wanted to be without too much fear of it getting back to the Dark Lord or the Blacks as long as they were careful. They just had to keep under the radar of the other students, made easier by the Malfoy sibling sorting. No one would question Lucius and his friends hanging out with Hermione and hers, as long as they weren't too obvious about it. Or so they thought.

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

November was part way gone when Andromeda and Bella were called home on a weekend. Bizarre to be sure, but Bella hugged her friends and left with her older sister through Professor Flitwick's floo.

No one was too worried until Rodolphus didn't show up to breakfast Saturday morning, then Cissa snuck out through Slughorn's floo to check on her sisters.

Saturday night Andy reappeared, white as a sheet and eyes bloodshot. She stood, trembling, her throat raw and unable to speak. Ted hovered about her, soothing her and glaring at anyone who got too close whom he considered a threat.

Cissa and Rodolphus showed back up Sunday morning within an hour of each other; Cissa a wreck and Rodolphus gloating and cheerful.

Finally Bella appeared through Professor Havens' floo, barely walking. She twitched as she stumbled forward, dark curses leaving her muscles spasming and bandages with dried blood wrapped about her arm. She went straight to her bed, pulling the curtains closed despite multiple protests from her friends and their head of house to go to the infirmary. Hermione longed to shake some sense into her best friend, or at least pry out what happened, but knew to leave Bella alone for a bit. A hurt Bella was an angry Bella, and an angry Bella was never to be messed with. But Lily, despite Bones and Mione's protests, pushed her way past Bella's curtains, climbing onto the bed, determined to drag her friend to see Madam Pomfrey.

Lily lunged for her friend, accidently grabbing Bella's bandaged arm, "Stop this Bella! You have to see the nurse."

Bella recoiled in pain and growled like an animal, frightened and snarling at Lily's intrusion. "DON'T TOUCH ME YOU STUPID MUDBLOOD!" she roared. Her magic burst from her body and rammed into Lily.

Lily shrieked in alarm. She fell off the bed, scooting herself backwards across the floor until she bumped into the knees of an aghast Hermione and furious Amelia. Bella, looking horrified at what she'd done, fled the room with a cry. She stumbled through the doorway, jerking at the pain still wracking her body on her way out. Her heeled gait making an uneven click, causing Hermione to shiver and choke on a sob as an old memory surfaced.

Bones glanced quickly at Hermione's terrified expression and took off after Bella. She charged down the stairs and with a roar tackled the dark haired witch in the common room. They both went down, Bella struggling and shrieking while Amelia cursed and rolled about to keep her distraught friend pinned beneath her. Charles and Amos, who had been working by the firplace on transfiguration rushed over to try to sort out the mayhem. However, Bones refused to be pulled off, forcing Amos to cast a silencing spell to keep the other students from being woken by the disturbance in the common room then grabbed onto Charles, preventing him from running for Professor Havens.

Back in the dorm room Lily recovered first, she stood up unsteadily, shaking a slowly hyperventilating Hermione until she snapped back to the present. Feeling sick, Mione darted out of the dorm and down the stairs, Lily close on her heels.

"Amei, let her go! She obviously doesn't want to be here." Hermione called as she rushed over to the two witches, pushing Amos and Charles gently aside. Lily hung back, still shaken by Bella's actions.

"NO!" Bones growled, apply more weight onto Bella, "She's behaving like a dark witch and I won't stand for it in our house. Something's wrong, so she's stuck here until she explains!"

A short burst of crazed laughter bubbled out of Bella's mouth before anger and tears took over again, "Get off of me Bones! It's none of your damn business." The witch in question bucked backwards, trying to throw the other off her.

Hermione cringed away, trying to keep from freezing up again as the cackling brought back into sharp focus the memories of the other, darker, Bella.

"I'm not getting off until you start talking. You don't get to treat us like this then run off!" Her voice softened slightly, "We're suppose to be friends."

Lily trembled beside Hermione, clutching at her hand. Hermione took a deep breath in, forcing back the memories of a crumbling castle. She focused on blanket forts and tea parties with the house elves, practicing dance steps together when Lucius wasn't around to help, Bella naming Gemini, her reign as a deranged beater queen that sent everyone on brooms fleeing in terror, laughing as she learned cribbage, sneaking into the kitchens to bake together. After all these years, Bella deserved her loyalty, and she wasn't going to give up on her when the going got tough. She stood straight and passed Lily to Charles before stepping forward to her best friend who she knew was in there somewhere.

"Bella look at me." Hermione sat on the floor beside the still fighting witch and ran a hand through her dark hair. "I need you to talk to me. I'm worried about you, we all are. We're not mad at you, and whatever happened you can tell us. You're safe here. Please Bella, you're safe."

Bella quit struggling and made eye contact with amber eyes before glaring back at the floor. She braced herself, then let out a shaky breath, her body finally going limp, "Andy and I were called home because Father found out Andy was dating a muggleborn. He tossed her around a bit then threw her out of the family." Bella's hands curled into fists, "Mother and Father decided to make me the heir and sign me over to Rodolphus in marriage. I just had to swear allegiance to Voldemort."

Hermione stared at Bella in horror, while Bella turned her head to face the other way, a whimper escaping her throat. Bones tensed, her position on Bella's back wavering slightly.

"Bella, you didn't-"

Another gasp of insane laughter spilled from Bella, "Of course not. I just couldn't disapparate like Andy to get away."

Bella spoke for a while, her words cutting in and out, but the story she painted left her audience sick and disgusted. From what Hermione could surmise out of the stuttered ramblings, Bella had all but told her parents to sod off, and they'd cursed her up one side of the house and down the other. Lestrange informed the Blacks of Lily's heritage and her parents had come unglued. They tortured her, trying to make Bella curse Lily as a mudblood. Her father had taken a knife to her, threatening to kill her and her mudblood friend. Her mother had held her under the cruciatus until Bella's shrieks had turned to laughter. Then Cissa had quickly pushed her through the floo to Mama while the others were distracted by Druella blasting Bella's name off the wall.

Lily, eyes overflowing, dropped to the ground beside Bella and Bones- who were now sitting beside each other on the floor- tackling Bella in a teary hug. Bones wrapping her arms around them both, apologizing profusely to Bella as Bella apologized to Lily. Charles and Amos just stood beside them stunned by the tale, before leaving the girls to reconcile as they desperately needed; they'd do their part to console Bella in the morning.

Mione was preparing to launch into Bella's arms when she caught sight of what looked like a 'R' poking out from beneath the bandage, stopping her cold. Feeling her stomach clench with dread, the blonde witch began to unraveled the gauze with unsteady hands, keeping eye contact as she felt Bella begin to tremble. Hermione quickly yanked the last of the bandage off and after a quick glance, pulled Bella into her embrace as the fallen Black's voice hitched and she broke into a sob. The childhood friends held each other, crying, while Hermione's mind put to death once and for all the last echoes of Bellatrix Lestrange with the same amount of cold surety that Lord Black had carved 'BLOODTRAITOR' into his daughter's arm.

The next few weeks were more muted as the repercussions of what had happened to Bella and Andy laid heavy on the groups' spirit. In the Puff dorm Bella woke up sporadically with night terrors, causing Hermione to crawl into her bed to calm her down like she had Harry in years gone by. It was early December when Bones came bursting into the girls dorm room, bringing a flicker of cheer to Hermione's heart. "News, I have news!" the three girls turned their attention to Amei. "Lord Prewitt has arranged to talk with Father over the holidays. Perhaps dissolve the feud now that Molly is married in with the Weasleys." Lily squealed and a shy smile crept along Bella's face, a small blush stealing in too. As for Hermione, she could feel the grin splitting her face and she hoped the last obstacle, Lady Prewitt, the twins' shrew of a mother, would keep out of the discussion.

In slightly lighter spirits, the yule ball came and went, the Hufflepuff 4th years going in a big group together. They commandeered a table as their homebase and admired the decor and dancers. They laughed and downed snacks while Charles and Zabini channeled sports producers zealously commentating on the happenings of the other students.

"And there goes Frank Longbottom with his date."

"Not looking too coordinated, maybe should have paid more attention to that box step."

"I don't think he sees the punch bowl coming out of left field."

"You might be right Charles, he doesn't appear to have a grasp on his surroundi-"

CRASH

"OOOHH FOUL!"

An embarrassed Frank hastily tried to pull Alice out of the bowl she was now sitting in with slices of fruit in her hair.

"I see tears, looks like a penalty."

Frank reared back, a hand print on his face as Alice ran for the exit.

"Red card!"

Frank sent their table a scathing look before taking off after his date.

Severus, knocking back his pumpkin juice, asked Lily for a dance. Amos pulled Hermione into a waltz, discussing DADA and exploding snap while twirling about the floor. Anthony cut in, stealing the young Malfoy away to do an overly flamboyant tango across the floor to the hoots and catcalls of her friends. Not to be outdone, Charles absconded with her and invented a jitter bug style step on the spot, making Mione roar with laughter while Remus and Bones danced by in a foxtrot, like the music actually dictated, calling out pointers and giving them scoring based on style, flair, and speed.

Sirius tentatively made his way over to Hermione towards the end of the night and asked for a dance. Mione wanted desperately to refuse, but upon her Cissa's beseeching look she relented. Sirius beamed as he pulled her into a slow waltz ,spinning her softly about the room. She tried to focus on Sirius and what he was saying, but auburn hair and a flash of sad blue eyes distracted her.

Most of the Hufflepuffs decided to stay at Hogwarts for the holidays; a sign of solidarity with their fallen Puff. The common room turned into a winter wonderland filled with a giant tree Professor Havens had commandeered from the forbidden forest. The badgers covered it with baubles and strands of popcorn, lighting it with muggle lights Flitwick had enchanted to work within the castle and tiny christmas fairies who danced about the tree glowing brilliant colors.

Christmas morning was filled with presents, games, food, and muggle movies playing on their magic rigged projector. Andy and Ted came over to the common room to join them, a sparkling engagement ring on the older witch's finger. The girls cheered and giggled, while Charles and Amos teased a blushing, yet proud Ted. Mama and Lady Bones sent packages filled with cookies and treats for the house to share, while Professor Havens and his wife, Marie, stopped in to surprise them with mugs of warm butterbeer. The students broke into off key carols as the night progressed and fresh snow began to fall.

It was a highlight in an otherwise dark year, as the attacks continued outside the school grounds, and the bullying escalated within the halls.

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

January was starting to look bleak. With the now public knowledge of Bella's banishing from the House of Black, the Slytherins took it upon themselves to pay back four years of repressed rage.

They shot curses at her every chance they got, some harmless, others dark. Hermione felt she was transported back to the 90s with all of the visits she had to make to the infirmary. Lily and Bones were like vengeful angels, falling upon the serpents with vigor, but it only exasperated the issue.

Severus, Lucius, Anthony, and Regulus did their best to bring their house to heel, but since they had yet to pledge their allegiance to Voldemort, their influence was dwindling rapidly. Charles and Amos found themselves in detentions alongside the girls, and sometimes Remus, for exchanging spellfire in the corridors. Professor Slughorn had to regularly call the 4th year Hufflepuffs into his office to reverse spells upon his snakes, especially Amelia who had a penchant for the obscure and creative.

Hermione did her best to keep from firing curses, only using defensive magic to protect Bella and her other friends who would enter the fray. She was devastated she was unable to truly jump into the fray, but she couldn't afford to show her family's hand.

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

Minerva was having tea with Donald Havens, the head of Hufflepuff house. They were discussing prospective students for a future joint project between runes and transfiguration when McGonagall decided to slyly inquire about his house.

"Outside of the chaos between the houses, my badgers are doing wonderful. I don't think I've ever seen the house so close before, and that's saying something. You know Lily Evans of course." McGonagall nodded, and Professor Havens continued, "Well she's decided to teach a first year orientation for the muggleborns in the house each Wednesday evening to introduce the new students to the oddities of the wizarding world the school doesn't even bother to teach, finding it either too obvious or of no business to those from non magical families."

McGonagall was intrigued, why had her lions never thought of something like that, let alone the faculty?

"She even roped Ms. Black into helping her fulltime as co-instructor, teaching pureblood customs and the histories of the community. Ms. Bones jumps in every now and again to add information about the Wizengot, the other structures in the Ministry of Magic, or just pull on Ms Black's metaphorical pigtail. It's gone from a first year event to full house participation almost each night. I make it regularly as well, my wife even tags along most nights. It's incredibly entertaining watching the students teach each other, and insightful about some of the ancient pureblood customs I didn't even know about- such as family magic. It's why certain skills, like wandmaking and cursebreaking are so astonishingly strong in certain witches and wizards, they inheritted it through the magic in their lines that builds upon generations! They've now even got muggle nights where the muggleborns talk about their culture and show movies on some sort of projection gadget the 7th years rigged together with Ms Malfoy and Mr Mortius."

"How delightful Donald!"

Donald beamed, "My badgers are certainly special."

Minerva nodded in agreeance, "To be sure! Now I'm curious, You've mentioned Ms Evan, Ms Black, and Ms Bones participating during the events, but what of Ms Malfoy? Does she add to the discussions at all?"

Professor Havens frowned thoughtfully, "She helps the elves in the kitchen supply the baked goods everyone plows through, apparently her mother's recipes, but I don't remember her participating much during more then a lesson here or there." Donald wracked his brain, "Huh. Now that you mention it, she's generally sitting in the back reading a book, adding a comment every now and again when someone asks something. Sometimes arriving towards the end with a stack of books from the library." He grinned brightly, "She's a determined one. Going to be the brightest of the age."

Minerva nodded thoughtfully to herself, Dumbledore's worries niggling in the back of her mind, "She is indeed."

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

Hermione was roaming the aisles of the library, her friends back at the dorm preparing for tonight's orientation lesson on marriage contracts. Amos had asked to borrow a skirt for a skit he was doing with Charles to help emphasize the roles of the bethrothal process for witches and wizards, so she had no doubt it was going to be a memorable evening. She chuckled softly, she hoped to make herself scarce for this topic despite the undoubtable entertainment bound to ensue. With the way her love life was going at the moment, or lack there of thanks to a certain mess, she just didn't want to be reminded of contracts at the moment. Thinking of a lopsided grin, she turned down the aisle about the founding of Hogwarts, pulling out a book when a pair of blue eyes found her amber ones from the other side of the shelf. She stepped back, startled, when in a flash of auburn Fabian had rounded the shelf and was standing smack dab in the middle of the aisle, blocking her exit.

"Good evening, Ms Malfoy. May I have a moment of your time?"

Hermione stood still, her mind short circuited with joy at hearing him address her for the first time in over a year. He stepped closer, tugging on a loose lock of hair that had fallen from her braid. He wrapped it around his finger and moved fully into her space, his eyes locked on hers. She blushed deeply, her heart racing and skittering at his nearness.

"Since the Prewitts have formally apologized for the slur against the House of Bones, and you by association, I have found myself having to track you down immediately to seek my own repentance." He grabbed her hand, bringing it to his lips, "Ms Hermione Malfoy, my little badger and tamer of owls." He cracked a crooked smile as Hermione laughed softly, "I am so sorry for the slight my family cast upon your name and honor. I knew the moment we met you could never be evil. Forgive my family's prejudice against the Malfoy house, it was in stubborn ignorance."

He pulled her hand to his chest, "With your permission, I'd also like to ask my father to formal-" There was a noise down the row. Hermione looked past Fabian to see Professor McGonagall standing there, having accidentally stumbled upon a fallen book. Hermione gently pulled her hand back, leaning up to brush his cheek with her lips. "Another time, I promise."

The dazed Gryffindor touched his cheek and nodded, walking past a bemused Minerva as if in a dream.

"Yes Professor," Hermione called, "What can I help you with?"

Professor McGonagall coughed, clearing her throat. "Would you care for some tea; there is something I'd like to discuss with you."

Hermione nodded, eyeing a book that had some potential and snatching it off the shelf as she followed the professor out of the library to her office.

Hermione sat on the other side of Minerva's desk, sipping earl grey tea awaiting whatever the professor wished to talk about.

"I've heard your house has started getting together each Wednesday night to discuss the differences of cultures amongst the dorm."

Hermione nodded absently, having grown up the first time as a muggleborn and the second as a pureblood, the discussions rarely held something new for her. She attended more for moral support of both her friends and house or the entertainment value than she did to learn.

"Do you not enjoy it?" Minerva pressed.

Hermione shrugged, deciding to play the bored pureblood. She drawled, "I do when I can afford to spend the time to go. However, I grew up in a pureblood home, and after having a mother fascinated with muggles and being Lily's roommate for three years, I don't learn much from it. I have to keep ahead of my studies you know."

Minerva levelled a shrewed look at her, not amused by the veiled rebuff, "You're at the top of your year Ms. Malfoy, with no room needed for improvement. All the professors have reached the consensus you could pass our courses in your sleep. Yet whenever you seem to have a moment alone you're perusing the library or have your head in a book. Just what are you looking for so earnestly?"

Hermione fidgeted in her seat, not wanting to trust the lion, even if her sort of future self was the one who chucked her back in time in the first place. "There is a reason I don't need much improvement; it's because I study so meticulously. I'm very dedicated to my classes."

"Yes," McGonagall snarked, "That's why you were reading advanced curse breaking during your last Transfiguration class."

Hermione looked up with a jolt. "I know a book glamor when I see one Ms Malfoy," McGonagall continued, "I'd be a poor transfiguration teacher if I didn't."

Hermione leaned back in her chair, her expression mutinous, "Well, I already finished reading the textbook over the summer. I was bored."

Minerva studied her, acknowledging that was probably quite true, "That I believe Ms Malfoy, you soak up everything like a sponge. The question is, why then are you digging through the library, if not for school work?"

Hermione sighed, deciding she'd have to surrender a partial truth to shake the professor off the scent, "I'm studying the life of Helga Hufflepuff, the founder of my house." It was Minerva's turn to look startled. Of all the answers she thought to find, that had not been one of them. "I'm tired of everyone looking down on the fourth house of Hogwarts like it's the trash heap where the leftovers go. I know there is something special about Helga, something our community has overlooked."

Minerva saw the unwavering light of determination in her eyes, "What if there is nothing earth shattering to be found, and she was just a loyal witch who kept the other three founders together?" Minerva asked gently.

Hermione turned to look at her, real fire in her eyes, "Sometimes you just know."

"And what will you do with this great knowledge?"

Minerva drew back slightly as Hermione's magic began to hum through the air, as if rising to the challenge.

"Redeem her house."

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

The fourth year Hufflepuffs and a smattering of Slytherins lazed about under a tree, bemoaning their loss of the quidditch cup to Gryffindor while idly watching the giant squid splashing about in the lake. The leaves were growing back and Hermione felt at peace, if only for the afternoon, as she worked on an Ancient Runes essay preparing for end of year tests.

"Ugh," Lily groaned as she flipped through her textbook, "If I have to read one more line about the role of women being solely to keep house I think I'll throw something!"

She huffed, leaning back into Severus as the dark haired wizard held in a laugh, twirling an auburn strand of hair about his fingers while he glanced at her textbook over her shoulder. Bella, Bones, and Hermione snorted, not nearly as successful as Sev in masking their humor, they had warned Lily not to take Household Etiquette and Spells as an elective.

"I mean seriously, of all the outrageous literature. I thought it was the 1970s, not pre women suffrage!"

"Oi," Charles piped up, "Quit your griping; I'm having to write the same essay. The textbook doesn't even attempt to put the literature in terms of bachelorhood, as if I care how to be a proper lady!"

"That's because the class is for witches, not wizards," Severus snickered, "I still can't believe Professor Havens signed off your elective without informing you of this."

"Well look at the rest of our house," Amos choked out, "I guess he figured if he has two pureblood witches playing quidditch, Charles can learn to knit baby booties no questions asked. It is a different era you know and Professor Havens is very forward thinking! Besides, all the professors like to upset prissy Priscilla Umbridge, and sending Charles to her class was a sure fire way to do it."

The halfblood Hufflepuff glared, "Still a little warning would have been nice. I just wanted to learn how to clean my damn socks without a wash machine! It's not like I had any other way of learning the spells." Narcissa patted his arm soothingly trying to maintain a straight face. Everyone knew the scandalous story of his pureblood father, Henry Mortius, stumbling upon a beautiful young mundane at the ocean and falling maddly in love despite his family's outrage and eventual disinheritance. Charles wouldn't have grown up knowing any household spells, his father never having learned and his mother only able to do things the muggle way.

"Professor Umbridge still doesn't know what to make of him," Lily added slyly, "She keeps dropping random feelers about his... preferences."

The whole group fell about in whoops of laughter. Charles let out a strangled sound, "You're all just jealous," He stood up and struck a manly pose, "Soon I'll have to fight the witches off with a broom, and when I find my perfect lass I'll bake her such an extraordinary tart she'll never look at another wizard again!"

Anthony sent the halfblood a sideways glance, "Don't be delusional Charles. Learning to sew and bake will in no way help you find a wife.

Charles snorted, "What are you talking about? I might have the most ridiculous professor in the castle to deal with, but while you sit in a class trying in vain to divine a future bride in some glass orb, I'm spending time garnering inside knowledge on how women tick while surrounded solely by witches who are desperate to be married." He gave a dumbstruck Anthony a smug look, "Who's the idiot now?"

"Hey, I'm not desperate!" Lily roared while Severus struggled to restrain her through fits of his own laughter. Lucius came to her aid, chucking an apple core at Charles head. The halfblood peered at Lucius before diving on him with a battle cry, the other boys jumping in with shouts of glee, soon becoming a mass of limbs

Hermione observed their tussle fondly, laughing along with the girls who were now standing back by the tree to keep from getting pulled into the fray. Bella glanced to the side for a moment, then huffed a quick goodbye, taking off towards the green houses. The others didn't really notice, but Hermione followed her trek with her eyes, seeing a red haired twin waiting by the rose bushes for a certain Bludger Queen.

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

Fabian searched the library rows, knowing Hermione was likely to be among them. He had tried multiple times over the past month to catch her alone to no avail. He was constantly thwarted by her friends, unintentionally he hoped.

He rounded a corner when he saw a glint of silvery blonde hair, only to run into the Malfoy he had not been looking for. Cursing Lucius' refusal to get a damn haircut, he nodded sharply, and tried to make his way around him to continue his search.

"Not so fast Prewitt," Lucius' arm shot our to latch onto his shoulder while he attempted to pass. "I have something with you I need to discuss."

Fabian's eyes narrowed as he waited for Lucy to continue, not wanting to start another feud between his family and the Malfoys.

"You have been haunting my sister's steps, and I need you to desist. You will not be taking her to any dance or Hogsmeade outings, period."

Fabian felt his magic begin to prickle under his skin, trying to keep his anger at bay, "You have a rather unhealthy obsession over your sister and her love life. You may need to look into that." He jerked, trying to dislodge Lucius' hand, to no avail.

Lucius tightened his grasp, "What a member of the House of Malfoy does is my business. Who she associates with can tarnish our Noble heritage."

"I don't see you throwing a fit over her friendship with the fallen Ms. Black, or is her bloodtraitor status not as big as mine since my family has more history of it?" He dismissed Lucius with a glance, "Your sister may not be dark, but you seem to be rolling in it."

Lucius' eyes flashed with rage and he slammed Fabian against the aisle, pushing his weight in to prevent Fabian from gaining control. "You listen to me," Lucius hissed, "My family is treading dangerous grounds with Voldemort at our very doorstep. Hell, forget the doorstep, he makes it a point to stroll right in and stay for dinner! We all have to make allowances and do things we don't care to; we screw up and the Malfoy line will be snuffed out, Mione included. Just what do you think will happen if the only daughter of the House of Malfoy is publicly courted by the heir of the House of Prewitt? Do you think the Dark Lord will laugh off the dalliances of my family- the family he has been trying to drag into his fold for years- with a notoriously light family who is one of his strongest oppositions. Are you angling to get my sister murdered?!"

He dropped Fabian to the ground, the red head staring up at him, dawning horror and understanding on his face.

"This isn't a game Prewitt." Lucius ran a hand over his face with a sigh, "I know you're in love with her, and I think it may be returned. I'm not opposed just because I think you're a git." He eyed the Gryffindor with a huff, "If you want her you're going to have to be shrewd as a snake; prove to me there is more to you than just brash Gryffindor stupidity."

He turned to leave murmuring a comment softly over his shoulder, "Tell Gideon- if he's truely serious about Bella- to be careful, but move quickly. Currently she's the one without protection, and needs it the most."

Fabian groaned, leaning his back against the bookshelf to stare at the ceiling, mulling over the conversation. This changed everything. Finesse and stealth wasn't his forte, but for her, he would learn.


	8. Welcome to Helga's Army

**Disclaimer: I own nothing HP**

 **A/N:** So sorry for the delay; I was under the weather last week. Warning, now that the characters are getting older the story is going to start getting a bit darker, but I will try to balance the hard times with funny moments and happy memories for the most part, like life tends to actually throw at people (ups and downs). As mentioned a chapter or so back, each school year is going to start being divided into two chapters from here on out. I hope you all enjoy this chapter :)

* * *

 **Welcome to Helga's Army**

Fifth Year: Part 1

Hermione caught her reflection while passing Ollivanders wand shop. At almost sixteen, she was taller than she'd ever been in her previous life, just shy of willowy. Mama promised her feminine curves would fill out the Lovegood way, a little behind schedule but there. Hermione snorted, that was an awkward conversation after her final growth spurt. Papa and Lucius had run from the room red faced and stammering while Mama continued as if she was merely commenting about the weather.

The only common feature with Hermione Granger, outside of the mane of hair, were her eyes- amber. The coloring had stumped the Grangers and they finally decided it must be a long recessive gene that popped up from some distant ancestor. Now Hermione knew better, they were Estel's eyes from her grandmother's line. Hermione blinked at her reflection, they had been what had convinced her she was always meant to be a Malfoy- true windows to the soul. She fiddled with her braid, ' _No wonder Lucius couldn't bare to look at Hermione Granger. A muggleborn, staring him down with his dead sister's eyes._ ' Hermione shivered, she'd have been upset too. A wild-haired muggleborn with the deceased Malfoy's first name, eyes, and unique talent at wards- their family magic- as proved by the golden trio's campsite. ermione mused for a moment longer, _'It was almost no wonder the purebloods had believed muggles stole their magic..._ '

Hermione gave one last glance at herself before moving quickly to catch up with her Grandparents, Uncle, and Xeno. Mama and Lucius had been stricken with some magical flu, annoying but non deadly, and Grandma Lovegood had used it as her excuse to spend a few weeks of girl time with Hermione. Today had them shopping at Diagon Alley to pick up any forgotten school supplies and spend time with Xeno on his birthday. He wanted some new book on magical creatures and runes that was being released that morning at Flourish and Botts, and the Lovegoods had decided to make a day of it. Lenore Lovegood smiled warmly at Hermione as she caught up, linking their arms and smiling conspiratorially.

"Alright gentlemen," Lenore began, "I think it's time us ladies have a little shopping moment, you know find some new robes, maybe pick up a gift for a certain someone. I'm sure you can find some ways to occupy your time without us for a spell." She smiled fondly at Xeno who returned his trademark whimsical grin. Hermione ruffled his hair fondly, he was fourteen today and still had not hit his growth spurt yet, but Hermione knew it would be soon. Xeno beamed up at Hermione then nudged her away from his hair, smoothing it back down.

Uncle Jasper grinned at Lenore, "Certainly Mum. I'm sure I can keep Xeno and Papa out of trouble." He sent Grandpa Lovegood a devious expression. "There won't be better behaved wizards in all of London. How about we meet for icecream in about an-"

A roar tore through the alley as an explosion went off at the apothecary a few stores down. Wizards with black robes, hoods, and white masks appeared through the smoke. Hermione gasped, pushing Xeno behind her as she pulled out her wand, deatheaters. Something felt odd though from her other encounters with them with Harry and Ron, it took her a second to deduce what was unusual. Finally her mind figured out the anomaly as a wizarding family to her right vanished, there was no slight hum in the air of any anti-apparition wards going up. They were letting everyone escape. _'No, not everyone...'_ She saw a family running down the alley towards them, the young boy wearing jeans and a Beatles T-shirt was obviously muggleborn being pulled behind by his mundane parents- none of them able to disapparate. A deatheater noticed them and gave chase.

Lenore grasped her husband's hand, "Francis-"

"I know dear." Grandpa Lovegood turned quickly to Hermione. "Take Xeno and find a floo to Malfoy Manor." Hermione stiffened, ready to object when he turned her and shoved her and Xeno towards the north end of the alley. "NOW Love!"

Her uncle called back to them as he started to move to the apothecary, "Protect each other. We love you!"

Hermione glanced behind to see the three Lovegoods, her family, charge towards the swarm of Deatheaters, the only magicals appearing to return spell fire against the deatheaters so far. Choking on a sob, she grasped a frozen Xeno by the wrist and pulled, yanking him with her as she darted north. They were making good time to the floo point when deatheaters started coming out of a building up ahead. They were caught in between the two groups, Hermione glanced about quickly before moving towards a toy shop to her left. They burst through the doors as someone grabbed a hold of Hermione's braid. She felt herself be jerked back and allowed her old war instincts to kick in. She swung her elbow back towards her attacker, ramming it into his solplex. She spun as the pressure was removed from her head and fired off a blasting hex, sending the deatheater careening back out into the alley, either dead or soon to be. She looked around the store until she found another door- hopefully to a back room with a fireplace- and shoved Xeno towards it. She looked back into the alley, grabbed a muggleborn and her mother fleeing on foot and pushed them behind her into the shop, "Get to the back room!" She watched the chaos unfold, looking for anyone else she could grab before barricading the door when a flash of red caught her eye.

"LILY!"

The redhead pulling a tall blonde behind her changed direction at the shout, sprinting towards the toy shop while flinging spells wildly behind her. She practically crashed into Hermione and burst into tears upon impact. Part of her face was covered in blood from a long slash down the side and the blonde young woman floundered beside her, gasping for breath and shaking, white as a ghost.

Hermione pried Lily off her and shoved her towards the back room. She had to stay focused. "Later Lily, I promise. Right now get to the floo."

She watched the two girls as they made their way through the store towards Xeno who was holding open a small door in the corner. Hermione felt a shadow fall over her and turned to the shop entrance. A deatheater was standing not three feet from her in the doorway. She stared him down, wand ready to unleash.

The dark wizard paused as he looked at her, then barked out a laugh. "Put your wand away Miss Malfoy, we're not after you. I'm just looking for the two mudbloods who came in here. After I've taken care of them I can apparate you back to your father."

Hermione worked to push her anger down, keeping her pureblood mask on her face, wand gripped tightly. "I'm sorry sir, but I must insist you continue on your way to the next shop. A gentleman does not hurt women or children, and those are the only persons in this building."

Another voice piped up from behind him, having just appeared and unable to see over the first deatheater's shoulder, "What's the holdup Rockwood? Just kill the muggle bint and be done."

"No, she's one of us." Rockwood turned his attention back to Hermione, "Come now, these mudbloods are like a disease. They don't qualify as people, let alone women and children. They're like livestock, and can be put down when needed. Now stand aside!"

Hermione stiffened and let her mask drop to unveil her fury. She unleashed a bone crushing hex and obliviate for good measure in rapid succession, taking Rockwood completely by surprise, before slamming the door and sealing it against the violence outside. She could only help so many.

She rushed towards the others as the main door began to shake. She pushed Xeno and Lily, who were guarding the inner door, into the room where the other three were huddled. She yanked the small door shut, and pushed her magic into it to keep it closed. She turned to the small assembled group and felt her skin tickle as anti-apparition wards went up, most likely to keep the aurors out now that news of the attack has reached the ministry. _'Probably just as well. I haven't apparated in over eight years, I could quite possibly kill some of them trying to sidelong this many after such a long time.'_

She looked to the fireplace when Xeno stepped into her line of sight.

"I already tried to use the floo. It's not connected to the rest of network at the moment. The deatheaters must have placed wards keeping Diagon Alley out of the system."

Hermione let her magic feel out the floo connection, her cousin was right. Complex magic that reeked of Tom Riddle was blocking the fireplaces in the alley from the rest of the wizarding world. She gritted her teeth, they could floo to another building in Diagon, but there was no guarantee what they would find. ' _Except_ -'

"Gringotts."

Lily and the others looked at her with wide eyes. Xeno's expression lit up, "Of course, we're only cut off from the floo network outside of the alley, we can still reach the bank and they would never attack it!"

Hermione smiled as she began passing around floo powder from a satchel at her waist, "And you're going first Xeno. Lovegoods are one of the only families respected by non-human magicals, so-"

"I'm less likely to be skewered on sight if the Goblins are guarding their floo against attackers."

He sent one last grin behind him before throwing his allotted powder into the fireplace and shouting, "Gringotts" hands already raised in the sign of surrender.

Xeno's head appeared in the flame a few moments later, startling the two muggles and the soon to be first year witch, "All clear. The goblins are ready to accept us as refugees!"

She nodded to the terrified muggle woman and her little daughter shaking beside her. "You're safe, we promise. Just follow my cousin."

Hermione felt the temperature rise in the room and noticed smoke starting to seep under the door as the two went through. She turned to Lily and who she now figured to be Lily's sister, Petunia.

"You're next, hurry!"

Lily nodded and pushed Petunia through, following close behind. Hermione began coughing as the smoke thickened in the room, but managed to gasp out her destination before disappearing through the fireplace.

She tumbled into the bank, still wheezing, looking around for her cousin and friend. They waved her over from where they were sitting with blankets, food, and drinks in the corner. Hermione sagged with relief, accepting a blanket from a goblin with a smile and heartfelt thanks. She sat between a softly sobbing Lily and Xeno, waiting out the chaos in relative safety.

An hour or so later, after the floos were reconnected to the rest of the network, Hermione ushered Lily, Petunia, and her cousin through the Gringotts floo to Malfoy Manor where Abraxus was pacing like a caged animal, practically foaming, while Mama was folded up in a chair with a blanket, still spotted with fever, and crying silently. Once Papa's eyes landed on his daughter and nephew he rushed towards them, pulling them into his arms.

"Oh thank God! We heard the news, but no one could get through. The aurors just left. They hadn't seen you. Where were you, we've been afraid you died!"

Hermione finally let herself cry, soaking in the warmth and safety of her father's arms. She managed to stutter out a small summary of their plight.

He let out a sigh, holding them tight, "Brilliant, just like your mother."

Hermione cracked a shaky smile at her dad while Xeno looked up at his uncle anxiously, "Have you heard from Dad or Grandma and Grandpa yet? Are they here?" He tried to lean around Papa to get a better view of the room.

Abraxus' blanched, his face stormy. He pulled away a bit from the bear hug he had them in to look his nephew in the eye. "They didn't survive the fight in the Alley. I'm so sorry" He grasped Xeno's shoulder tightly as the boy looked about to faint, "They kept half of the deatheaters pinned in the southern part of Diagon all on their own; the aurors estimated they saved dozens of muggle and mugglenborn lives. They stood and fought for the protection of others, doing their best to ensure the brightest future for your generation. True Lovegoods, guardians of the light." He kissed Xeno's head, "I know you will uphold the Lovegood name with the same pride, wisdom, and generosity." He pulled both of the children close again, kissing their heads, "We are so glad you two are safe, and we love you very much."

He held them a bit longer before looking up towards the other two girls in the room. "And I see Lily is here, but who is this other lovely lady?"

Lily stepped forward while Petunia blushed a bit at the elegant man and stared down at her feet, "Mr. Malfoy, this is my sister Petunia. Our parents were in the store with us when the attack happened, and they-" Her breath hitched, "We don't have other family and Petunia and I aren't old enough in the muggle or magical worlds to be legally on our own. We didn't know what to do, and Mione didn't trust the authorities not to just put us in some orphanage. We don't-" Lily broke into sobs and Petunia grabbed ahold of her, trying to keep her sister standing. She was trying to be strong for her little sister, but this whole day had been one freakish nightmare and she had no idea what was going to become of them.

Papa sat down hard upon the ground, his knees no longer steady. This was the great world Tom had ranted and raved about, trying to pull him into joining him to create? Where children were killed or orphaned and families were ripped asunder? He turned to stare at his fevered and grief stricken wife, his eyes tired and haunted. Estel gazed into his soul, as she always has, and nodded. Her eyes telling him what he needed to do.

He turned back towards the Evans, "Orphans you say? I believe you're mistaken. You have a family right here with us, you just didn't know it yet."

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

The Malfoys and Lily shuffled onto the Hogwarts train, for the beginning of the girls' 5th and Lucius' 7th year with heavy hearts. The loss from the deatheater raid a few weeks back still weighing on their minds. The only good thing coming out of the deaths, besides the lives of muggleborns and their families, was Voldemort temporarily avoiding Malfoy Manor, having the good graces to be wary of Mama's fury.

Their cousin Xeno, now the last of the Lovegood line, was secreted away by Mama to be made an unofficial ward of Edgar and Sally Bones in an attempt to prevent deatheater retaliation against the final remnant of her house. Gabriel Bones already having his hands full with Bella and trying to keep his alliance with the Malfoys out of sight, preventing him from openly taking in Xeno. Only the Malfoys and Bones knew where he was, although both families would swear upon their lives they'd never even heard of him- in complete fear of Mama's wrath alone.

Lily still felt terrible she had dragged her family to Diagon that day. It had been her last ditch effort to renew her relationship with her sister, she had thrown a fit and called in every favor to convince Petunia to come with her. It had blown up horrendously in her face, not only were her parents dead, but her sister was now flat out terrified. Lily was nervous to leave Petunia behind at the manor, but hoped if anyone could help her through the fear of magic and pain of loss it would be the gentle Estel. Both Estel and Petunia had lost their parents, and hopefully they would heal together.

Hermione and Lily found the compartment with Severus sitting in it. He rushed towards them, pulling his best friend into a bone crushing hug while kissing her auburn hair. He had been worried for her, and missed her terribly these last few weeks. Owls just hadn't been enough to ensure she was alright. Hermione tried to stifle a giggle as Sev, not too discretely, checked Lily over for injuries, Lily gently protesting and trying to get him to stop clucking like a hen. Lucius, having given up on just huffing and rolling his eyes, finally grabbed him by the collar and ushered him out of the compartment to find their Slytherin friends, giving Mione a kiss on the head and Lily a quick hug farewell.

Soon Bones and Bella arrived, huge grins on their faces to see their friends safe. Hermione had a feeling Lord Gabriel was doing a jig at the sudden peace that had arrived with their departure from his estates. These dueling, qudditch playing, sometimes pant wearing ladies were undoubtably unholy terrors when combined without Hermione's voice of reason and Lily's gentler nature- when she wasn't angered anyway- and the Bones were pure saints putting up with them.

Bella closed the compartment door, peering out to make sure no one was coming, before racing across the compartment to dive onto Hermione's lap. Bella pinned Hermione down with her weight, tickling her sides while her victim squirmed to get free.

"Guess what Mione?! Guess what?"

"I have no idea you menace, and refuse to guess until you remove your hippo like figure from my person. I can barely speak, let alone think when I'm being flattened into the train seat!"

After one final poke, she stood up and sniffed, smoothing her dress and sitting primly on the bench across from her.

"I'll have you know my waist diameter is one of a lady. I'm nearly peckish from the little I delicately portion to myself."

Hermione huffed, "Says the girl who stuffed herself sick with cookies at the closing feast last year!"

Bella glared down her nose, removing a piece of lint from her coat, "I was distraught at our loss by only two points for the house cup. A true lady doesn't remark on another's short comings during times of distress. Like I didn't mention you checking and double checking your luggage like a loon, or you biting your nails the whole train ride home like some degenerate."

Hermione kept a straight face, lips twitching, "Oh? Like how I didn't mention you smothering Gemini with treats on that same train ride? Having run out of ones for yourself."

Bones and Lily burst into peels of laughter, unable to hold it in any longer. Hermione tried to keep her severe countenance, but finally lost her own composure, letting forth a stream of laughter, Bella tutting at their lack of propriety, "Ladies don't chortle in such an unseemly way! Who ever will want to marry such cackling trolls?"

Lily tried to catch her breath, "That's some fancy talk, oh Lady of the Bludgers. Where, oh where is your line of suitors?"

"The sane ones are running in terror no doubt!" Hermione guffawed, leaning on Lily for support. "Professor Havens is still having to sort yearly through piles of student complaints for willingly arming HER with a bat!" They held onto each other laughing, wiping tears from their eyes, enjoying the first truly carefree moment in a month.

"It's a good thing Professor Havens is such a forward thinker then, isn't it Gideon? You'd never have stood a chance for her hand against a sane wizard!"

The 7th year, Giddeon Prewitt, pulled a blushing Bella to his side, "I couldn't stand for any man, let alone a line of them, to hang around my bat wielding lady anyway- jealous wizard like myself." Bella snorted and elbowed him in the side.

"Abuse! Abuse! She signs one marriage contract and suddenly she's turned deviant."

"Gideon," Fabian deadpanned, "She broke your arm with a bludger, before you even asked her on a date. How did you think this was going to go?"

Bones snorted in agreeance, "Oh aye, if anything she's gotten nicer!"

Hermione and Lily stared, shocked, at the future Lady Prewitt.

Bella smiled shyly, "Lord Bones finished signing it this morning as my guardian." Bella found herself on the compartment floor as Hermione tackled her, throwing all thoughts of decorum in front of others out the window. They rolled about laughing, Lily and Bones cheering from on top of the bench seats.

"Oh no, Gemini!" Gideon yelled, "Avert your gaze! Your mistresses are teaching wicked things you can't repeat in the owlery."

"Yes," Fabian nodded solemnly, holding Gemini's cage out of the path of flailing limbs, "THIS is how someone loses an eye!"

Others on the train gave the Hufflepuff cabin a wide berth, the screams, shouts, and laughter pouring forth despite the closed door.

Upon Hermione's arrival back to the their dorm room after the opening feast, she found a package sitting on her bed. She unwrapped it curiously while her roommates were unpacking their belongings and decorating the room. The package contained a rare and thick tome of the four founders of Hogwarts, detailing the building of Hogwarts, and the founders escapades and battles. Hermione opened it to find a note inscribed inside the cover.

 _"I found this in the headmasters office over the summer, gathering dust as it was used to keep a desk from wobbling. It is property of Hogwarts itself- consider it on loan to you until you have finished your 'project'. Best of luck Ms Malfoy in your endeavors._

 _\- Professor McGonagall"_

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

The tensions between Slytherin and the other houses seemed to grow. Dueling starting to break out regularly in the halls as students claimed retribution or tried to pressure others into openly choosing a side. It was flat out war between the Slytherins and Gryffindors. Ravenclaw tried to keep out of it, no one wanting to openly take a side. Hufflepuff, who would have normally stayed out of it as well, was almost leading the charge against the house of snakes. Affronted at the continuous attacks on their 5th yr girls.

Poor Lucius, the head boy, was beside himself as what to do- trying to dock points and manage the ruckus in the halls as fairly as possible. Bella was like a second sister to him, but Riddle had him in his sights.

The professors were pulling their hair out, trying to keep peace in the school. Getting to the point of almost confiscating wands outside of the classroom.

Gideon and by extension Fabian, could now be found almost nightly in detention, cleaning out cauldrons in the dungeon. Bella sometimes sitting beside them in the potions room, doing homework until they finished up. Not wanting to leave them to their fate considering it was usually her honor they were trying to avenge.

While Lily took care of prefect duties and ran house orientation, and Bella and Bones practiced quidditch, Hermione kept her eyes on the war going on outside, when not reading through the book on the founders McGonagall had sent her. The Dark Lord's forces were growing, and they had begun targeting halfbloods who would not join their ranks along with the muggleborns. Pureblood families, still just accidental casualties as Voldemort tried to gain new supporters.

She enjoyed the weekly update from home, Petunia now starting to add a small message to Lily at the end, much to the redhead's relief. However Hermione still worried for her family, not knowing how much longer fear of Mama's wrath could keep Riddle at bay. The Dark Lord needed the Malfoy name and resources to gain more allies, the traditionally neutral and some of the gray families unwilling to commit without Abraxus' influence and clever tongue to sway them.

And this next generation graduating out of Hogwarts over the following few years were horribly under prepared for it. The real world wasn't like school, where a jelly leg curse was thrown and easily fixed. The Death Eaters were playing for keeps, as proved in Diagon, and she only knew of one person who'd ever walked away from a Avada Kedavra.

Hermione slammed the tome shut, she had to make sure those she loved were ready. She could make the time; her research was important, but so were the lives of her friends and family.

She paced back and forth in front of a blank wall, her friends and Lucius staring at her like she'd finally lost it. She'd call them all to meet secretly, late on a Saturday night for something she insisted was urgent, and here she was just walking and staring at a wall like it held the answers of Merlin.

Bella went to tap Hermione's shoulder, to shake her out of whatever daze she was in, when suddenly a door appeared on the wall. Bella jerked back, nearly stumbling in surprise, Gideon placing a hand on her shoulder to steady her as he whistled at this new development. Seven years at Hogwarts, and they'd never stumbled upon this.

Hermione opened the door and ushered them all into a wide room with mirrors, practice dummies, and benches against the walls.

Hermione turned to face her assortment of friends: Slytherins, Hufflepuffs, Xeno, Remus, and the two Prewitt twins, a large smile on her face. "Welcome to the Room of Requirements, the new training ground for Helga's Army!"

Hermione ran them through drills every Saturday evening. Having the Blacks teach darker curses they'd learned at home and how to counter them- if it was possible- while she taught advance defense techniques and the simple muggle art of getting out of the way. They picked a new topic each time, training hard for several hours.

"The patronus charm," Hermione lectured to her enraptured audience, "Is the only real and best defense against Dementors. I have no doubt the Dark Lord will eventually attempt to use them in his campaign if he hasn't already. AND not only are patronums great repellent of the dark wraiths it's been hypothesized they can be used to send messages. I spent the morning testing it out." Hermione actually hadn't, having learned how to use this variant during the second wizarding war, but as usual she couldn't admit to that.

Hermione continued on for the next ten minutes, explaining the theory behind the charm, the incantation, and wand motions.

"Think happy thoughts!" Lily giggled to Severus and Charles, the only other ones in the room who lived in the muggle world to get the reference.

Hermione grinned, thinking of her childhood at the manor, playing games with Lucius, pillow forts with Bella, her parents cuddling with her when she was sick, the study group, Lily and Bones, Harry beating the dragon, blue eyes-

She swung her wand into the air, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

Silver mist erupted from her wand, taking the form of a bloodhound. It sniffed around her then bounded off about the room, rolling and playing like an overgrown puppy. Hermione smiled as it bounded back towards her, nudged her playfully with it's nose, then dissipated.

"Now," She turned towards the others, "Your turn."

It took some time, but soon a silver swan was flying about, Bella laughing with giddiness as it glided about her, dancing with Gideon's hawk. The whole room was alight with the whispers of shadow animals as Severus' raven rode on Lily's doe, while Remus' wolf rough housed with Charles' bear. Fabian's fox was rolling around with Hermione's hound, when she noticed Lucius leaning against the wall glowering, Cissa patting his arm. She excused herself from the others, having to dodge Anthony's stallion as she made her way over to her brother.

Hermione smiled widely at him, "I know you have happy memories in there! You don't even have to choose a single moment, just think about all the times Cissa's pulled you into a corner and snogged you senseless"

Lucius made a strangled noise, too upset to even correct his sister about her assumptions of his lack of propriety.

Cissa giggled softly an adder snake weaving itself about her arms, "Don't worry Mione, he already conjured it just fine. He's only embarrassed."

Hermione gave him a quizzical look, which he refused to meet, his cheeks having a faint blush. "Lucius?"

He muttered a curse and unleashed his patronus for his sister to see. Hermione about died when she saw the mongoose bound over to her, twirling around her and playing with her curls. She looked up, beyond words, to stare at her brother whose face was now bright red.

Lucius huffed and muttered darkly, "Don't you dare tell Mama."

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

They were relaxing at the Three Broomsticks during a Hogsmeade trip after a rather grueling HA session. Hermione had run them through advanced shield charms and what type of curses broke through different protection spells best. They lounged between two tables at the back of the building, arranged artfully so no one could accuse the Slytherins of mixing with the wrong families. Only those who looked closely could tell they were all together, although Severus subtly playing with the ends of Lily's hair, who was sitting with the back of her chair leaning against his at the next table, was a bit of a give away. While Lily and Sev hadn't outright said it, Hermione and the others knew they were dating. It was obvious with the cow eyes they generally sent at each other, and lack of personal space. Mione pushed back the slight swell of panic about Harry being born, she knew he was meant to be, she just had to have faith. Besides life was playing out the way it was meant to now, and she wouldn't begrudge her friends these stolen moments of bliss. Hermione decided to turn her attention back to Gideon's wild tale when she noticed Sev and Lily stiffen out of the corner of her eye. She followed their line of sight as the conversation at the tables dwindled, disturbed by the newcomers.

James had planted himself next to Severus and Lily's chairs, glowering down at them with Sirius, Remus, and Pettigrew behind him. Lily, trying to play it smooth, finally looked up from her butterbeer nonchalantly as if just noticing his presence. "Can we help you Potter?"

James' flushed slightly under her green gaze, "Well Evans, I was wondering if you'd like to join my friends and I for some butterbeer." He smiled roguishly, "I'm sure you'd enjoy yourself."

Lily grimaced lightly and shook her head, letting her hand trail down to tangle with Sevs, "No thank you Potter. I'm quite enjoying myself already, I assure you."

James frowned, trying to reign in his temper at the sight of the now linked hands, "Are you sure?" He tossed his hair then ran a few fingers through it, "I'm more fun then these nerdy sticks in the mud. Some of them don't even seem to get their face out of a book long enough to take a shower let alone spend the time with you that you deserve." He shot a pointed look towards Severus who blushed and studied his butterbeer intently. The fumes from the various advanced potions he brewed as Slughorn's apprentice reeked havoc on his hair.

Lily was furious, but before she could start her rant, Amos interjected. "Oh yes," He lunged across the table for Lily's spare hand, "My lovely flower I beg you, you must run from the company of your friends. Flee to the land of jocks where instead of intellectually stimulating conversation you can learn all about quidditch scores and player stats."

"Yes Lily," Lucius drawled, "You'd never be bored there."

"Why," Anthony proclaimed, tossing his hair dramatically in an imitation of James, "Would she want to go with you when she has this," he motioned over his own upper torso, "Italian purebred stallion to gaze upon at her slightest whim."

Bones snorted into her drink, "Stallion? Your spirit animal looked more like a mule to me."

"Yeah Zabini," Charles piped up, "You're just an ass!"

James' face was now red at being ignored and dismissed by the table while they argued about Patronus and inner beauty, "Hey! Lily this is ridiculous. You can only play coy for so long until it's no longer fetching. Don't be such a swot."

Severus finally cut in, "I believe we are trying to hint, obviously too subtlety, that as hard as it is for you to believe- being God's sole gift to women- she is not interested and we wish to be left alone."

"Oi," Sirius piped up, "He just wants to take her on a date, no need to be bloody bitchy about it Snivelles. I don't understand what the big deal is."

"I'm sorry Siri. We would explain it more clearly, at a level you could understand, but I'm afraid none of us have a Mr. Whizzbee's Every Color Crayon." Regulus deadpanned before dismissing them with a look.

"So please just go away. Lily already has a boyfriend." Xeno huffed before turning the table conversation to a rune he'd read of in one of his new books, asking Fabian if he'd come across it before.

The two marauders looked like they were going to cause more of a scene when Remus grabbed them by their collars and tugged them away with a growl.

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

The Christmas holiday was right around the corner making the Hufflepuff common room buzzing with excited jitters as the upperclassmen were preparing for the Yule ball. Bella, bedecked in a deep maroon stood tapping her foot by the fireplace waiting for her friends to come down so she could meet up with her fiance. The younger years stared at her in awe as she attempted to quit fidgeting, her dress sending about little crystal rainbows on the walls as the light from the flames reflected off her skirts. Finally the other three girls stumbled down the stairwell in a fluttering of colored skirts, ruffles, and lace. Charles and Amos took Mione and Bones arms while Lily and Bella moved on ahead to find their men.

The Hufflepuffs and their dates used a table as their main hub, much as they did last year. Severus ignoring the glares of the Slytherins and James as he twirled Lily about the room, radiant in green. Hermione and Bones danced with the guys in their study group, when they were not teasing poor Amos for stealing glances at a sixth year Hufflepuff girl who he was secretly smitten with. Mione smiled to herself as Anthony and Charles needled him, she knew Amos would eventually succeed in his crush. Evelyn had Cedric's eyes.

She allowed Sirius to pull her into a polka, his wild steps and beaming smile causing her to laugh and enjoy the ride. If he held her a little too close during a waltz later on, she tried not to mind. He was attractive, and hopefully growing up a bit, but she was fairly certain her heart lay elsewhere.

Speaking of which, Fabian had been aloof most of the night, watching more then joining in- to Lucius' approval. However he managed to sneak in a private moment with Hermione during a group reel, tucking a note into her sash as he whirled her towards her next partner.

Hermione excused herself to her room early, weaving her way around the underclassmen who were already starting to fall asleep in the common room, pastries and mugs of butterbeer spread haphazardly throughout the den. She closed her door behind her and opened the slip of parchment.

"My Beautiful Little Badger,

I'm sorry I can not openly pursue you in such troubling times; not without guaranteeing your safety. The time will come when I will ask for a contract with you once I secure your father's approval. Until then, know you hold my heart in your hands.

-Your Besotted Lion"

* * *

A/N: Yay! We're about half way through the story The prophecy and plot is going to start picking up real soon. Promise :)

Please feel free to review if you enjoyed it; it makes me smile to read your thoughts!


	9. Hufflepuff's Lost Secret

**A/N:** Yes, I'm sorry about the long delay. Preparing for the holidays, being sick, helping friends who are sick, and Grad School applications needed lots of personal tending to. However, hopefully this will tide you over for the next week or two; I didn't get to really edit it like I wanted to (just finished writing it 20 minutes ago), but I figured I needed to go ahead and publish the chapter since it had been such a long time. Please enjoy!

* * *

 **Hufflepuff's Lost Secret**

 _Fifth Year: Part 2_

Lily rushed off the train, the Malfoy siblings following at a more appropriate speed, towards Abraxus and Estel who were standing near the edge of the platform, slightly obscured from sight. She was upon them in seconds, looking wildly around for her sister. Petunia moved out from behind Estel and held her arms aloft for her sister's embrace. Lily moved to tackle her when she paused having caught full sight of Petunia.

"Tuney?"

Hermione and Lucius looked over at the siblings, both letting out a subtle gasp. Petunia Evans looked every part a couture Pureblood, from the elegant soft blue dress robes bringing out her eyes to her light brush of make-up and coiled blond hair. Gone were the bulky muggle clothes she had worn in a poor attempt to add a look of curves to her tall, slender frame.

Petunia blushed nervously, "Do you not like it Lily?"

Lily gaped, then lunged for her sister, "I was just startled, you look like a witch!" She held her at arms length, twisting her one way then the other, "Oh Tuney, you're so gorgeous! You could be a model."

Petunia grinned down at her petite sister, then shared a secret smile with Estel.

"Well, I had to look the part. Being a wealthy pureblood daughter of Lord Malfoy's close business associates in France," Petunia sniffed haughtily, "It takes some effort you know."

Hermione eyed Papa expectantly, "She's who?"

Abraxus laughed heartily while Estel bounced giddily at his side smiling widely, "She's my business partner's daughter. Here in England, under our family's protection, to learn British customs and practices to help advance her family connections."

Lucius turned to Petunia who held out her hand. He smiled, lifting it and pressing a soft kiss to it with a wink, "Nice to meet you Ms Petunia..."

"Renald, good sir." Petunia smiled softly with a perfect curtsy, "Petunia Renald."

"You wouldn't believe the excitement it's created at the manor," Abraxus snorted.

"Oh yes," Estel grinned, "Ms Renald has quite a number of callers. She's very popular, especially amongst Riddle's elite."

Hermione let out a startled laugh as she followed them off the platform. She shook her head, bemused, as Lucius grabbed her arm to side-long apparate to the manor. Only Mama could come up with a scheme like that.

The manor was decked out for the Christmas holidays. The trees in the lawn were strewn with decorations and spheres of pure magic danced about, casting light on the grounds. Inside, the tree in the parlour was bursting with ornaments, garland strands of bright colors, a set of fairies lit this tree as well, bringing a beautiful glow to the whole room. Hermione stopped to stare in awe of it, as she had every year; she should be used to it by now, but it still took her breath away. Not even Hogwarts could compare. Lily stood beside her, gaping at the tree as well.

"I know," Petunia murmured to her sister, "I always thought muggle Christmas lights in a tree was enthralling, but this - magical." Lily nodded, dumbfounded, it was a lot to take in between her sister's new persona and the manor decked for the holidays.

"Now," Petunia smiled, "Who would like tea?" She waved her hand and a tea pot appeared. She made another slight gesture and cups glided towards her, she filled each and handed them out.

"Tuney, how..." Lily voiced the astonishment of the three Hogwarts students.

Petunia smiled like the Cheshire cat, "Magic."

The holidays flew by, a mix of fun family time, surprising laughter, and deep puzzlement, at least initially. Lucius, Lily, and Mione kept pestering Mama and Papa on how Petunia appeared to be able to perform magic. They knew it was a ruse, but couldn't quite figure out how they were doing it. At first, Hermione assumed it was Mama or Papa subtly using their wand, but the theory was thrown out the window when Walburga Black showed up for tea with Petunia while Mama and Papa were away at the Alley picking up a Christmas present.

Walburga prattled on about her sons, completely ignoring everyone else, as she munched on scones that appeared when Petunia snapped and tried to convince the eldest Evans that her son was a great match for such a talented young witch.

"Oh Sirius is such a gentleman. I'll bring him with me for the New Years celebration here at the manor. You will of course be attending, yes?"

Petunia nodded demurely. "Oi Lady Black. I'm staying with ze Malfoys until mi Pierre requests I come 'ome. I do love it 'ere in England." She smiled winningly, tapped the side of the empty tea pot, and began pouring fresh tea into everyone's cups.

Walburga nodded, finally turning her attention towards Hermione, "Of course dear, I know you and Sirius think highly of each other, but if Ms Renald and my son end up being a fine match, as I think they will be, then you understand. Right dear?"

Hermione nodded vigorously, eyeing Petunia's little feats of wonder perplexed, "Of course Lady Black."

Lucius escorted Walburga to the door where she apparated away. He then turned sharply and walked back towards Petunia and Hermione, Lily was out in the gardens, not wanting to accidentally throw whatever game Estel, Abraxus, and Petunia were playing.

"Alright," Lucius huffed, "Out with it. How are you doing it?!"

Petunia giggled and batted her eyes, "Is that any way to speak to a lady?"

Lucius groaned, while Hermione pondered the adversary in front of them. Vaguely a memory surfaced of Harry complaining about his relatives and magical flying dessert in second year.

"House elves!"

Lucius looked up startled and Petunia's grin turned slightly mischievous.

"You're using a house elf," Hermione tisked, "Very clever."

Petunia let out a soft gale of laughter, "Flopsy, we've been caught!"

A small house elf appeared at Petunia's side, grinning maniacally. "Why yes Mistress Tunesy, I guess we haves. But Mistress Herminnies always be a bright one."

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

Before Hermione knew it they were on the train back to Hogwarts, the Malfoys' New Years ball still fresh on their mind. Especially Siri's, whom Walburga had made sure met Petunia.

"... and then she just snapped her fingers and I was in the garden pond! Right through the ICE!"

Hermione rolled her eyes as she passed the Marauder compartment, Sirius was like a dog with a bone on that story.

Lupin threw Hermione a wink and a wave, before turning back to Sirius. "Got Wingardium Leviosa-ed, eh?"

Sirius huffed and slammed his back into the bench seat, "No, she's too haughty for that- Ms Renald. She's a wandless witch, and she makes sure to show it off all the time. I'll bet she doesn't even have a wand anymore; I've never seen it."

Lucius snickered as he passed, Lily glaring holes in Sirius' head shuffling behind him. She was still sore about his antics at the ball, as far as she was concerned Siri had gotten what he deserved.

"Then my mom hounded me for the last 3 days about it!" His voice raised a few octaves, "How could you embarass me in such a way! I'm so ashamed of you! Your manners have gone right out the window since being sorted in that- THAT-"

Hermione thankfully made it out of earshot, she had gotten front row seats to the premiere of that shouting match and wasn't really up for an encore rendition. She found Bella and Bones waiting for them in their compartment with Charlie, Amos, and Anthony. Severus, Cissa, and Regulus were standing in the corridor trying to be more inconspicuous than Zabini about being with their friends. Lily looked about the corridor before racing for Sev, arms flung wide. He pulled her into a tight embrace, giving her a quick peck on the lips. Cissa gave Hermione a hug before moving to place her hand in the crook of Lucius' arm, smiling up at him brightly. Lucius grinned, placing his other hand over hers. Hermione hid a smile at their antics, Lucius was a gentleman through and through, although Hermione had seen Cissa drag him into a broom closet once, and while he had protested it didn't look like his heart was fully in it.

The Prewitt twins came up behind them, Gideon nudging the Slytherins playfully aside to get to his fiance in the compartment. Fabian siddled up beside Mione, tugging softly on a loose curl.

"Happy New Years my little badger. How were your holidays?"

"Infinitely entertaining. Did you hear Sirius ticked off a witch and ended up getting plunged into my family's frozen pond? He went right through the ice." She smiled cheekily, "If you hadn't heard it yet, fear not. I'm sure you'll get a full accounting of the tale in the common room; probably more times than you can stomach!"

Fabian frowned, "So, being in Gryffindor is going to be painful for the next few days then?"

Hermione let out a giggle- ignoring Reg's soft mutter of 'Isn't it always?'- "Quite possibly, unless you have ear plugs."

"Hmmm, then I'll have to make myself scarce," He gave her a rogush grin, "I guess I'll have to find a new common room to stay in then?"

Hermione blushed while Lucius cleared his throat.

Fabian covered, "I've heard the Slytherin one is fantastic this time of year. The way the sun filters in through the lake makes the room less damp and ghoulish in September. It might be quite pleasant in a dank, greenish sort of way."

Severus stiffled a laugh, "I think anytime of year it would be too, subdued, for your vibrant... tastes."

Fabian sighed dramatically, "Alas the desire for warmth and cheery decor is such a burden! I guess if I must I can spend time near the armor alcove. I've heard the common room around there is cozy and overlooks the school's gardens," He ignored Lucius' growl, and glancing both ways to make sure the coast was clear, he swooped down and place a delicate kiss on the corner of Mione's mouth. "Forgive me, I had to have at least one before I graduate."

He ducked past Sev and vanished into the compartment. Cissa and Reg grabbed a murderous looking Lucius, and dragged him towards the Slytherin end of the train, Severus calling Zabini to follow. Hermione watch them leave as she sagged against the wall outside the door, pressing her hand to her lips. Lily smiled knowingly beside her.

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

Bella jostled Hermione awake after a rousing lecture about Grindeylows and how to combat them.

"Light... Light startles them!" Hermione snapped out as she joined the living.

Lily let out a snort, while Bones and Bella tittered.

"Snoring and everything; how unladylike!" whispered Bella.

"I thought the elite are never caught unaware?" Muttered Bones.

"Nice of you to join us Ms Malfoy," Professor Greily cut in, "Had you woken a few minutes earlier you would know we've moved on from grindeylow to outline the dueling competition that will take up the end of every class for the rest of the term." He paused, "Although, two points to Hufflepuff for knowing how to ward off the fiends even while practically catatonic."

Hermione blushed while she sank lower into her chair, her classmates snickering.

"I'm sorry professor."

"No matter, Ms Malfoy! Stand up, you've won the honor of being our first dueler. Who wants to partner her? Let's change things up; how about Mr Mortius?" Gasps were heard from scandalized Gryffindor females and snorts of derision from all but one guy in the red house. A woman dueling a male?

Charles held his hands out in front of him in a panicked gesture, "I'm sorry professor, but she's half asleep- I don't trust her not to kill me in that state. A tired Malfoy is a dangerous Malfoy."

James, Sirius, and Peter busted out laughing.

"She's a woman mate!" James guffawed.

"As if she's a challenge for a real wizard, but what do you expect from one who takes Household Etiquette and Spells" Siri scoffed.

Charles turned a serious eye to them, "Then you duel her! Gender has no say on raw talent, and any idiot can see she has that in spades."

"Yeah, Mione's powerful," Sirius conceded, "But a duel takes more than that. She could break something."

Remus pulled Sirius from his seat and pushed him towards Hermione who was waiting at the front, looking more thunderous by the minute.

"Then she's all yours," Lupin smirked. "I'd wish you luck, but you'll need far more than that."

"Excellent, excellent!" Exclaimed Professor Greily as he ushered the two students onto the platform he'd erected at the front of the class. "Now remember, any spell is fair game as long as it's not dark or deadly."

Sirius smirked at Hermione, "I'll be gentle."

Hermione growled as she discarded her robe, then transfigure her skirt into loose pants like the ones Bones and Bella wore for quidditch. Ignoring the mutters, she secured her hair before turning to Sirius.

"Begin!"

Waving his wand in a lazy gestured, Sirius started, "Stupify!"

Hermione flicked it aside with her magic, causing students on the sidelines to duck, then threw a jelly leg lock verbally and a silent laughing charm in quick succession.

Sirius blocked the first curse, but didn't expect the charm hidden behind it. He began giggling, then roaring with laughter while his eyes glared mutinously. He cast the counter and retaliated with a serpent.

The snake charged for Hermione, but a quick mutter and her birds swarmed the reptile, shredding it to ribbons before targeting Sirius. He began doing a ridiculous sort of jig as he tried swatting them away wildly, reminiscent of Ron, with no success.

"Incendio!" He choked out, staring in wonder as the birds turned to paper and fell to the ground in burning piles of ashes. He gave a quick look towards his opponent to see Hermione with a tidal wave of water about her.

"A second swimming lesson for you. The first apparently didn't sink in." She smiled widely before sending the wave roaring towards him. He yelped, diving out of the way, only to smash into an invisible wall. He glanced up in horror realizing he was caged in and the water was still coming. It crashed in to him and began filling the container he was trapped in.

He was well over his head and treading water when she sent a banishing charm towards the glass. The container vanished spilling the water, and Sirius, quite violently off the platform into the onlooking students. She hopped off after him, scooping his wand up off of the floor as she went.

She stood in front of a heaving Sirius and pile of Marauders he had landed on, "Next time instead of being gentle, try being a challenge. If I have to be woken up at least make it worth my time." She dropped his wand on his stomach then transfigured her pants back into her skirt. After a quick pat of the material she glided softly back to her seat.

Diggory shook his head at the dripping mess that was Sirius, "Oh aye, that was certainly no match."

Charles smiled, helping the wet dog up, "If this whole magic using thing doesn't end up working out for you, at least you make a splendid fish! Oh, by the way, I bet you wish you knew a handy drying spell. It's a shame you're not in Household where we covered that the first week. But I'm sure you'll figure something out, being a REAL wizard and all."

The bell rang and the Hufflepuffs plus Lupin headed for the door, Bella loudly recounting the look on Sirius' face when he went tumbling off the stage into the pack of Mauraders. Charles waved his wand at Remus drying him out with great pomp and circumstance, while Amos snickered and shoved his dormmate into the corridor. They left the Lions standing behind, the boys feeling slightly sheepish and the girls feeling like they'd missed something important.

Professor Greily smiled benignly at them, "Only a fool underestimates his opponent based on gender." He rolled up his sleeve showing a deep gash that would never fully heal, "Got this from a disgruntled house witch after arresting her husband for dark blood magic. My partner declared the house free of hostiles because she couldn't possibly be a threat. He's dead and this curse can only be held back so long." He eyed them sternly, "Arrogance is how you lose a war."

DADA caused a stir about the school because of the now common place unconventional pairings amongst the upper years. Professor Priscilla Umbridge was seen multiple times attempting to corner Professor Greily about the lack of propriety, but he rebuffed her at every turn leaving her huffing in his quake.

Despite various protests the DADA trend continued, Bella making short work of James with a quick chair transfiguration, bringing another victory to the Hufflepuff house. The only student able to keep up with them in combat being Remus. Students in their year were starting to mutter, most in disbelief at the caliber of the Badger house.

Alice and Frank cornered Hermione outside the library on her way to study group.

"Can I help you?" Hermione eyed them warily. She'd loved Neville, but his parents had kept a distance from her all of their academic career to date.

Frank gave Alice a reassuring nod before she turned back to Hermione with a determined expression and stepped forward, "We want in."

"In?" Hermione questioned, aiming below oblivious for stupid.

Alice flustered then huffed, "Whatever study thing you have going on. We know the twins and Remus have been sneaking out a few times a week to train with you guys. We've been watching, you're the one leading it. And they're good, they're keeping at the top of their classes with the rest of you because of it."

"Oh, so you want better grades?" Hermione turned dismissively towards the doors, "Then study harder."

"No!" Alice lunged for Mione's arm, tugging her around urgently, "I want a world where I'm valued for more than running a household. Where my children can step outside without fear. I want to fight, and win against Voldemort." She looked the youngest Malfoy in the eye, "I know I have it in me."

A smile tugged at the corner of Hermione's mouth, "Well, then follow me."

A few weeks later Lily managed to drag Hermione away from the massive tome on the Founders for Hufflepuff's final quidditch match of the year. She sat beside her on the bleachers, watching her friends and team battle Slytherin, while Charles and Zabini argued in the commentators booth. Apparently Professor McGonagall found them entertaining after last years ball.

"And Bones has the quaffle, guarded by the Bludger Queen herself. Look at those cowardly snakes flee in terror!"

"Cowardly!? Over half the school takes cover when she's unarmed in the hallways; who wouldn't when she has a bat?"

"Umm... Any qudditch team who has a hope of winning?"

"Irrelev- Oh! NICE SAVE Lucius. Way to take the wind out of Hufflepuff's sails."

"Yes nice catch Lucy! Although Zabini has enough hot air to reignnite-"

"Nott is on a breakaway towards the Puff goal posts. The deranged bat wielder is bearing down, but he's not flinching, what a wizard!"

"Do you want to know what makes a real wizard?"

"Mr. Mortius, If you bring up Household again during the game I'm taking your mic."

"Sorry Professor Havens, I was going to say- Puff's Chaser, Townley, catching up with Nott. He's racing the pass to Greengrass- going for an interception! GO GO GO!"

"FOUL! Card him ref!" Roared Anthony.

"Oi! What for? That was a perfectly executed tackle."

"It's quidditch Charles, you're not SUPPOSE to tackle!"

"As if that's ever stopped Slytherin!" the Hufflepuff sighed, "Greengrass to take a penalty shot. You don't hear that every day."

"He shoots! Oh, saved by Evelyn Acors; what a shame-OOF!"

Hermione turned her attention to the commentator booth where Charles had knocked over Anthony in his excitement and was dancing about.

"Is that the snitch? It is! Go for the dive Diggory, go for the DIVE! YES! Hufflepuff takes home the cup!"

Zabini pushed Charles out of the way and peered down at the field where Amos had landed, snitch in hand, "I can't believe it."

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

Hermione growled and hurled her quill and notes across the room. She'd been through the whole tome, and she knew the answer was there, but she hadn't found it. The author had spoken almost reverently of Helga, but all of the illustrations and mentioned magical spectacles were performed by the others.

Hermione frowned and opened the book again. It was like the secret was niggling on the back of her mind, but wouldn't surface. She rubbed her aching head, attempting to soothe it. She'd been so busy lately with end of term, exams, Helga's Army, Study Group, and the looming graduation of her brother and the twins.

Lily and Bones cast nervous looks her way before Bella interrupted, "You know, I think you need a break, how about a food run. You missed dinner... Again."

"No, I think I'll just take another look through-"

"That wasn't a question," Bella strode forward and yanked her out of her seat, "Now."

Hermione turned angry eyes on her best friend, "Look here, this is important!"

"So is eating," Lily piped up.

"And sleep," chimed in Amelia.

Hermione sighed, closing the book. "We have to be quick, curfew started a few hours ago."

Bella grinned, "Quick as water sprites!"

They snuck out of the common room, past Charles and Amos who had fallen asleep over a game of exploding snap, Diggory's eye brows partially singed off. They made their way down the armour hallway and began to troupe to the kitchen. They were on the stairwell when Hermione stepped on a false panel. Her foot sunk in and she fell backwards while trying to regain her balance. She laid back on the steps staring at the ceiling in disbelief while her friends snickered and tried to get her foot out. Eleven years at Hogwarts and she'd never forgotten to jump that step until now, 'Maybe sleep is needed.' After a particularly sharp yank she glanced down to yell at Bones for trying to pull her leg out of it's socket when a mural on the ceiling caught her eye. She looked back up to study the ceiling, it was the same painting as the one in the book. The founders building Hogwarts, Salazaar and Godric raising the grounds in a magnificent feat of pure magic while Rowena shaped the gardens. Helga stood in the middle, everyone's back to her while she smiled to herself wand in hand, performing no magic. Hermione glanced at her face in the painting, she wasn't smiling in this mural, her face had a fierce look of concentration, and the others-

Hermione wrenched her foot loose and raced at a stumble back to the common rooms, her friends calling after her. She tore into the common rooms and looked at the tapestry above the fireplace she'd stared at thousands of time. The founders fighting in the first battle to protect the newly finished school. Godric sending up a wall of flames, Salazaar making trees march forward, Rowena calling up a cyclone, Helga standing in the middle wand barely drawn with a weighty look on her face, no visible magic. Everyone's back to her- defending her.

Hermione ran to her room, throwing open the book, skimming the founders' third and last battle on Hogwarts soil. "The Battle of Black Lake... the end of the great magical feats the Founders had become known for... Magics like rumored in Merlin's time which have never been seen again to this day... Helga's death a few months later... Remaining founders working with ward smiths to defend the grounds... Last use of what had become known as the great Ba-"

"Hermione! What in the world? Are you ok, what happened!" Lily stood in the doorway panting, the first of her dormmate to catch up.

Hermione paid her no heed, her mind raced with answers, knitting together the puzzle of information she'd read over the year. It all made sense, Helga wasn't sitting back while the others fought, the painters too nice to leave her out of the portrait. They painted the scene as it was, magical defying feats being performed all around with her at the center.

Hermione felt her joy mounting, like a wave of clarity about to burst forth and drown everything else. "She's the magic's focus! It's how they built Hogwarts and why they couldn't defend the castle alone after her death; all along it was her!"

"What Hermione? What are you talking about?" Her friends were now standing around her in varying degrees of visible disarray.

The answer tumbled out as though unsure at first, but gaining certainty, "I know Hufflepuff's secret!" Hermione looked up at her surrounding friends, a light of victory in her eyes, "Helga was the wielder of the ancient Battle Magics."

* * *

 _A/N: The story is finally picking up now; answers to why and how Helga could wield the magic is to come. Prophecy, war, and some dark times ahead. Please review! It helps :)_


	10. To Whatever End

Disclaimer - Don't own HP

A/N: Thank you for all of the wonderful reviews!

* * *

 **To Whatever End**

 _Sixth Year: Part 1_

Hermione wanted to smash her head through the table. She had tons of questions and little to no answers. It didn't help that she hadn't seen Bella and Amei all summer, Lily was also with the Bones family while the Blacks visited, and Lucius was off in the gardens with Cissa leaving her, his poor tortured sibling, with Sirius Black. She looked up from the table where she rested her head at the wizard in question who was ranting as he paced back and forth in front of her, no rest for the wicked or the diligent apparently.

"She just blew me off, called me a child. ME!" Siri screeched towards the heavens.

Hermione sighed, putting away her books on magical focusing for the time being. She could only deal with so many problems at a time, and right now it looked like the squeaky- obnoxious- wheel was getting the attention. "What did you say to her?" She held up a hand forestalling Siri's wounded speel, "BEFORE she called you an infant?"

"Child, the word was child!" He sighed dramatically before folding himself into a chair, "All I did was turn her hair red and gold, she needs to loosen up! It's not like she couldn't undo it with a wave of her hand."

Hermione groaned, of course Petunia was mad, she couldn't undo it. House elves couldn't undo wizard magic, the eldest Evans would have to wait until her or her parents found her and undid it.

"Why do you antagonize her? It's like a toddler picking on a girl because it's the only way to tell her he-" Hermione sat up straight, "Do you have a crush on Petunia?"

Sirius, Hogwart heartthrob extraordinaire, spluttered in outrage, "Of course not! Who would like that uptight perfectionist who rarely cracks more than a polite smile?!"

"Someone tired of girls fawning all over him and wanting a challenge?" Hermione pushed, eyebrow arching in speculation.

Sirius hid his blush with a huff, storming towards the exit, "If you won't take me serious then I'm leaving."

"But I know you're Sirius."

He continued with out pause, "I don't need to stand here dealing with such ludicrous accusations!"

"Ludicrous, is that your word of the week? Next time try superfluous, like this conversation," Hermione called after him.

He slammed the door behind him, leaving Hermione sighing in delight as once again silence permeated the study. Time to delve back into her book about focusing magic. She now knew Helga's secret, but she still had no clue how she did it. No books mentioned that type of magic except in barely remembered childhood tales. But if it was easy, then it wouldn't have been forgotten. Hermione heaved the book back open, ignoring the shrieking in the hallway. Apparently he'd found Petunia again.

She was almost fully entranced by her reading when the door to the study burst forth once more. Hermione aimed her wand, ready to fire at the scoundrel when Papa rushed past her towards the floo in a flustered yet thunderous mood.

"Papa what's wrong?"

"Nothing that I won't fix Little Rose. But I need you to guard the door from the Blacks, if anyone asks tell no one I left. Just say I'm with the elves checking the wards against an intruder."

Hermione nodded her understanding as he grabbed the floo powder, with a mutter of Bones Estates he was gone. Mione sat tense, awaiting his return with a sneak spell on the door to warn her of any passerbys. It had to be urgent if Papa risked being caught while the Blacks were here. They could sniff out light leanings like blood hounds. Minutes passed before Papa reappeared, brushing the lingering soot from his pants.

"Remember, I never left."

Hermione rushed to him throwing her arms around him in worry, "Of course Papa, I haven't seen you since breakfast."

Abraxus smiled down at her, placing a tender kiss on her forehead, "Have no fear Little Rose, everyone is safe now. No harm will come to our friends."

He strode confidently out of the room to catch up with wherever Estel and the Black Sires were, his excuse of lost muggles setting off the perimeter wards poised on the tip of his tongue. Hermione sat restless until dinner, unable to keep focus on her notes. Orion and Cygnus Black left their wives and children with the Malfoys to enjoy dinner while they took off on urgent business. Whatever kept them, they came back hours later taking their families home with curt goodbyes and quite a few twitches from dark magic residue.

Lily came back through the floo from the Bones' an hour later, telling Hermione and Petunia of the failed death eater raid on the estate while they laid in bed late into the night. Without Abraxus' warning they would have all been sitting around the dinner table when Voldemort and followers stormed the house. Lily shivered as Petunia and Hermione hugged her, calming her with soothing words until she fell asleep. Hermione shared a look with Petunia, the Malfoys would be forced to show their hands soon; it was only a matter of when now.

On the train Amelia pulled Mione into a fierce hug, whispering words of gratitude into her ear. Hermione held her tightly, murmuring reassurances. She knew they were going to be ok, because if she could keep Harry Potter- Voldemort's number one target who had a habit of making brash and ridiculous decisions by the seat of his pants- and his emotionally stunted partner in crime alive, then she could keep the much more rational Bones, Bella, and Lily in one piece. Lucius could take care of his Slytherins plus Xeno and the twins could watch themselves. Everything was going to be ok, and she knew if she kept telling herself that, then maybe one day she might believe it.

It felt weird going to Hogwarts without her calm brother in tow, and she knew something in her rang hollow when she couldn't catch Fabian's eyes discretely following her over meals in the Great Hall. A slightly gloomy Bella made her realize she hadn't gone off the deep end under all of the stress, it wasn't just her. She hoped things were faring better at home, with Lucius learning to take over Papa's mantel and Petunia starting at a nearby university she could commute to in the mornings. She had been giddy while picking out a wardrobe with Mama for her first semester; she was going into business finance and Papa was hoping she'd be able to assist in the muggle side of some of his companies in the future.

Gemini swooped into the hall at breakfast, carrying a letter for Lily from her sister, then oddly enough it stopped by Sirius' to drop a letter on his head before making his way to the owlry, breakfast bacon clutched in his beak. Hermione turned to stare, quite unladylike, at Sirius who was blushing like a loon and stuffing the letter into his pocket. Hermione raised an eyebrow at Remus who caught her glance and sent her back a shrug.

That night, as the girls exchanged information about their research and their theories on how Helga accomplished the ancient magics a grey owl flew into the room dropping a letter into Bella's lap, from Gideon if Hermione had to guess from the squeal. Then to everyone's surprise it circled again before landing in front of Hermione, leg extended with a second letter tied to it.

Mione leaned forward, grasping the scroll and opening it with slightly jittery hands.

 _My Dearest Little Badger,_

 _I believe this is the longest I've gone without seeing your face since we met. I knew when I saw you inside Madam Malkins that you would be someone special, and when you first opened your mouth to utter nonsense about owlry etiquette I was hooked._

 _If you don't mind me being presumptuous, please allow me the honor of correspondence so I'll know my suit isn't in vein. You can attach your response with Bella's love sick ramblings to my ridiculous, and unfortunately less handsome, twin. It will be the best way to correspond without tipping our hands to those who would wish to do you ill._

 _Your Besotted Lion_

"Well?" Amei urged, leaning forward, "We know Gideon is sending her the regular drivel, but what's yours about?"

Hermione blushed, looking down, "It's just a request to write."

"Uh huh," Lily nodded understandingly before lunging forward and snatching the letter out of her hand. She skimmed it briefly while holding it out of Hermione's reach before groaning aloud, "Oh dear Bones, we're going to have to deal with her forlorn romantic mopings and poorly written sonnets too!"

"Hey!" Bella interjected, "My sonnets are pure poetry written in the delicate hand of a lady to her gentleman suitor!"

Amei stood up on the bed, brandishing a pillow dramatically, "My sweetest lion cub. How your red mane shines forth- "

"-in the golden hour of the day." Lily joined in moving quickly to her feet beside Amelia, swaying slightly on the bed to keep her balance. She posed flamboyantly before pretending to swoon into Bones' arms, "Your courage like a- "

A pillow to the head ended her oddly familiar sounding stanza, and was the only forewarning of Bella's attack as she dove onto her housemates. They rolled about Hermione's mattress shrieking with laughter as Mione joined the fray trying to wrestle her letter out of Lily's hand.

Fabian's letter were highlights in Hermione's fast paced life. The first term of sixth year seemed to whirl by in never ending essays, duels in DADA, advanced magic in Helga's Army, late nights researching, and the few respites of Hogsmeade weekends.

Their ragtag study group took their usual set of tables at the back of the Three Broomsticks, Alice and Frank representing for Gryffindor in the twins' absence. They shared stories of classes and gently teased each other until Remus sat down with a grim expression.

"They're getting overly suspicious. We started making a map that shows where everyone on Hogwarts grounds is, the Marauders Map."

The others hushed and looked at Remus in consternation, that type of magic was complicated and very advanced. Hermione felt her stomach knot in dread; she'd forgotten about the map.

"They used the prototype the other night and saw Alice, Frank, and I disappear off of it, since the Room of Requirement isn't on it. We weren't in the library studying like we told them we were when they came to check to see if we were ok. I told them we'd gone up to the tower to do astronomy and it must have been a glitch, but that excuse won't hold them forever."

Lily groaned, "We'll have to let them join, won't we?"

Severus sneered in displeasure, James and Sirius' bullying of him was getting ridiculous. They'd tried to hang him by his ankle just last Spring before Remus had stopped them. Hermione had no doubt they'd try to trick Sev into going after werewolf Remus, luckily Severus already knew Remus' furry little secret and wouldn't fall for it.

Remus nodded slowly, "At the very least they'll know about it and follow us around until they can sneak in."

Hermione startled from her thoughts slammed her bottle of butterbeer down hard, "No!"

The others at the table looked at her, she'd never vocally turned anyone out.

"I'm sorry, but no. Especially not Pettigrew. He's not able to keep up and I won't water down the material for him. He's not a fighter, and we need everyone to pull their weight."

Remus gave her a penetrating look, one he gave her every now and again. Like he was seeing her for the first time and re-evaluating all of his conceptions of her based on the new piece of data. The assessment ended and he reluctantly nodded, breaking the odd tension amongst the group.

"You're right, Peter can't know. He won't be able to keep up and he'll become upset at being left behind on something 'cool'. But Sirius and James need to join. They want to be aurors, and they should learn any tricks they can to help keep themselves alive before graduating."

Hermione begrudgingly agreed, giving her ascent. "Fine, tell Peter you're all working on an advanced arithmacy assignment or something."

Remus gave her a roguish grin while the Slytherins in the group bemoaned the troublesome challenges to befall them. Lupin stood up to leave when Hermione remembered Gemini's random letter drop to the Gryffindor table and the sudden heavy use of Siri's owl, "Before you go. Who has been sending Sirius so many letters?"

Remus barked out a laugh, swiping Zabini's new tankard of butterbeer despite protest. "Didn't you know? The one and only Ms Renald."

Lily choked on her drink, sputtering it everywhere, "What?!"

Remus gave her an odd look, "The witch who threw Sirius into the Malfoys' pond last winter. Apparently Sirius and her have changed their tune." As Lily visibly floundered Remus tried to figure out her role in the situation, "Is there something I'm missing? If anything I thought Mione would be upset, aren't you dating Sev?"

Hermione patted Lily's back trying to help her breathe while she shared a look with Severus over Lily's head. "Yes, she's quite happily dating Severus much to James continued despair no doubt. It's just Lily met Petunia at my Manor this past summer and is as flummoxed at the bizarre change of scenario as I am. Last we knew he was receiving only insults and she was getting magically changing hairdos. We just thought Ms Renald had better tastes. Had I been mid drink at the news, I assure you I'd be in a similar state."

Remus shook his head at them in bemusement before saluting them with his commandeered tankard and heading to find his fellow marauders.

Regulus rubbed his hands together in glee, "Mother is going to be over the moon! She might even lay off her incessant nagging about snooty Glenda Parkinson for a few months."

Lily glowered down at the table, and Hermione knew from her look a storm was brewing.

It didn't take long to spill forth, in fact the following Helga's Army session Lily's dueling match turned into a battle ground with Sirius, Severus trying to calm her down and keep James at bay simultaneously.

"What game are you playing at?" Lily sent a hex hurtling forth, "Tease her and flirt with her, then get her all tangled up before eventually breaking her heart. String the poor French girl after the great British man, revenge for making you look foolish?!"

Sirius dodged a blasting hex, then turned, diving for cover from her bat bogey, "It not like that Lily!"

"WHAT do YOU care anyway?!" James hollered, trying to get in between them. "It has nothing to do with you!"

Lily flushed, "It just matters!" She exploded the floor near Sirius' feet as he ran straight towards her, tackling her to the ground.

"I know!" Sirius wrestled her wand from her hand, "I know she's your sister!"

A pin could have dropped in the silence that fell across the room.

"You what?"

"I know she's a muggle."

Lily's face went red and she got an arm loose, letting her fist fly. She connected right into the side of his face, knocking him off of her. She rolled over with him, taking the top of the pile.

"You let that become public knowledge and I'll KILL YOU MYSELF!" She snarled, chest heaving in her fury. "This isn't a game; it's her life! It's the Malfoys lives."

"I know!" Sirius roared, "I'm not playing anything." He shoved Lily off of himself, before sitting up cradling his head in his hands, "I think I'm in love with her."

James face twisted, "Petunia Renald is a muggle? You're in love with a muggle? "

"She's more than that! She's, she's- special. She's pulling off the greatest trick in history against Riddle himself, making everyone believe she's a witch, have you ever heard a crazier scheme? That crowd would drown a squib in a moment, but she has them kowtowing to her, a mundane. She's the greatest prankster and bravest Gryffindor hiding in a prim and proper package."

Charles stepped forward, pulling Sirius to his feet, "I understand. My father was the same. He didn't expect to fall in love with my mother, but as he says, after he met her how could he not? There's no shame in loving her." He smiled widely, "Besides, the most awesome kids can come of it!"

Severus smacked Charles upside the head, "I wouldn't be toting yourself as the poster child if you're trying to sell that package."

Petunia's letter brimming with apologies for her fuming sister arrived the next day at lunch, along with promises to tell her the whole story once Lily returned to the manor for Christmas. A slight smile in Sirius' direction a few hours later let the Gryffindor in question know he was out of hot water with the red head for now. The heir of the House of Black breathed a sigh of relief, laughing quietly to himself as he read his mother's note overflowing with pride over his courting of the Ms Renald- Regulus had apparently ratted them out, well partially.

Hermione puzzled away at the mystery of using a human as a magical focus. Even her letters to Mama had come back with little help, only advising her to find someone who had witnessed such an event to guide her. Hermione wanted to cry as she watched the snow fall outside the window a letter to Fabian halfway penned on the desk. It always seemed like two steps forward and three steps back.

"Mione hurry up!" Bella called up the girls stairwell, "Culture night is starting, we're watching Beauty's Sleep!"

"She means 'Sleeping Beauty'!" Bones hollered as student laughter wafted up from the Common Room. Quickly swiping at her eyes, a soft giggle escaping from her lips, Hermione stood from the window seat and made her way downstairs to join her house.

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

Hermione stared at the car as it made it's way up the Manor's path and appeared to off-road towards the side garden. Mama came up beside her daughter to see what was so fascinating.

"Ah, Petunia reclaimed her parent's car this fall, Papa helped with the paperwork," Mama hummed as she peered out the window with Mione.

Papa's Daily Prophet rustled behind them, "She takes that death trap back and forth from the university every day. It's absurd!" Papa groused, his voice carrying across the room to them.

"Of course dear," Mama murmured as the two women watched Lily race out to see Petunia and the Ford Capri.

"Just because muggles can't use magic doesn't mean they should actively invent ways to kill themselves." Papa huffed before stowing his paper and leaving the room.

"Oh yes," Mama whispered with a crooked grin, "Papa fusses about how dangerous it is regularly, yet always finds an excuse for Petunia to drive him somewhere at every opportunity. Just the other day he was swearing it was making odder noises than usual and insisted he ride with Petunia to school to make sure it didn't injure her or leave her stranded on the road. He's checked up on his businesses more in the past month than he has during our whole marriage, and don't get me started on his ridiculous reasons why he suddenly can't apparate there and must be driven," She trailed off then broke into giggles, "Petunia and I picked one out for him for Christmas. Tuney's going to teach him how to drive it!"

Hermione turned to look at her mother, choking on a laugh. She could picture Papa joy riding about the country already. 'Dangerous' indeed.

"I've even bought a riding hat for myself," Estel continued ignoring Hermione's knowing look, "I obviously have to accompany him; who knows what trouble he will get up to alone. It could randomly explode, or so Papa claimed last week." Mama threw her daughter a subtle wink before wandering out to find her husband, Hermione shaking her head after her.

On Christmas Eve Lily made her way over to the Bones' Estate a day before the Malfoys and her sister. They were going to spend Christmas with the Bones' family, Papa and Lord Bones finishing off their legislation after celebrations were over. Papa had gotten the last of his plans in order and was ready to push against Voldemort's supporters in the Wizengot before the New Year, a slew of neutral families prepared to back him while the light families wouldn't question Lord Bones. The Malfoys just had their yearly Christmas Eve dinner with the Blacks to get through.

Mama was leery, but Papa wanted to say farewell to his childhood friends even if they didn't realize it. Lucius sided with Papa, wanting to see Narcissa one last time before she was withheld until she hit her majority. Lucius knew the Blacks couldn't get out of the wedding contract, but they were going to make it Hell on earth for him to contact her. Petunia wouldn't say it, but she was excited to see Sirius as well.

The first sign the evening would not be a pleasant one was when Orion and his family showed up minus Sirius. He had entered his majority the day before, and when he'd refused to swear allegiance to Voldemort, they had thrown him out. They were filing the disinheritance on the morrow. Walburga was a brewing storm while Petunia was floored, Hermione tightly gripping her hand for support.

The next surprise came with the arrival of the Rossiers, Druella Black's brother and family. They couldn't initially get through the wards, Abraxus having tightened them the day before. With Druella's complaints of wanting to spend time with her brother's family as well, Papa reluctantly let the three Rossiers on the grounds, not wanting to raise further suspicion.

Dinner was a tense affair: the Black sires more formal than normal, Regulus upset over Sirius, Titus Rossier- 7th year Slytherin- sending suggestive looks to Petunia who was oblivious as she tried to keep her sadness at bay, even Cissa and Lucius were solem as the sat together staring at their food.

Suddenly Druella broke the silence, "We were talking the other day about my two- deceased- elder daughters. I was so surprised when Titus mentioned the sorting Hermione's year was done in reverse order- my daughter, " she spit out the word like poison, "Following YOU to Hufflepuff. Fascinating, no?"

Hermione glanced up in horror dropping her spoon, Lucius' knuckles turned white around his cutlery while Cissa stared down at the table.

Mama smiled serenely, continuing on with her meal, "Oh, we thought you knew the the change to the order that year. It was quite queer, a prank even the Head Master couldn't undo. I suspect a Ravenclaw."

Lady Rossier tittered, but didn't speak, her pursed lips a jarring contrast to her son's openly nasty expression.

"Of course," Cygnus sighed, "Childhood whimsy could be overlooked, IF the parents are able to instill needed behavior into their children."

"Yes," hummed Walburga sipping from her wine, "However, while we've thrown out an heir who refused to acknowledge the true path, isn't it odd that yours sits amongst us while he has not sworn allegiance?"

"For that matter old friend," Orion spoke into the tense silence of the room, "You have been very slippery over the years; you haven't allied yourself with us. A fact we've left alone for years out of respect for your wishes to remain neutral as most families did when Grindewald was rising. But, imagine our surprise when an adversary who has been crusading against Riddle's cause at the ministry was able to evade us this past summer, when you were the only outsider who knew our plans. That seems like picking sides."

Abraxus looked affronted, "You can hardly blame me for the Bones not being on their estates. Why if Riddle swung by your home tonight it would be empty too. Are you in hidden cahoots?"

Lord Rossier cackled, "No, but you are our sly friend. Unless, you leave fresh tea and partially eaten cookies in the parlor when you step out on holiday?"

"Yes," Druella interjected, "I believe you had to excuse yourself on our end after the conversation because muggles were too close to the wards, when my own brother couldn't get through them just an hour ago."

"That's because we tightened the security after the incident," Mama hissed, "Wouldn't want to break the statute of secrecy by a manor appearing out of rubble in front of a bunch of muggles."

"No one can find the Bones family estates now, not even the owls. It's quite similar to your family wards, you know the ones all of us have been begging you for to protect our homes from auror searches," Walburga sneered, Titus jittering to himself with excitement.

"We'll overlook this if you pledge your allegiance to Lord Voldemort, now." Orion stated solemnly.

"And we'll want your family books on ward magic," added Cygnus.

Abraxus stared them down calmly across the table, "Then I guess we've come to an impasse."

"You're smarter than this Abraxus."

Abraxus and Mama rose as the Blacks and Rossiers did the same on the other side of the table.

"You've overstayed your welcome. Leave now if you wish to go unharmed, for the sake of the friendship we once had," Papa stated coldly.

"Old friendships don't matter anymore, we'll walk over your dead bodies to get what we need," snarled Orion.

Papa laughed sourly, "It's not like the books will do you any good, it's not in your blood."

"Riddle's powerful enough to figure some of it out. Besides, we dont' need their full potential, anything to boost our wards and those around our Lord's stronghold will do."

"I guess I shouldn't be too surprise, according to YOUR logic, he'd have to steal his magic from somewhere. After all he is a half-blood!" Papa snarled.

Titus could no longer contain himself, with a roar of outrage he sent a slashing hex hurtling down the table. Cissa shoved Lucius out of the way, knocking him over and taking the curse to her shoulder and side of her face. She collapsed on top of him crying in pain. Regulus yanked his wand out, firing a dark curse before anyone could blink as he rounded the table. Titus slammed into the wall, dead, blood pouring onto the carpet.

"PROTEGO!" Abraxus yelled, throwing a shield charm between the death eaters and his family. Hermoine rushed to Cissa's side, Petunia huddling beside them terrified. Lucius cradled Cissa close, chanting every healing spell he knew over her. Regulus stood guard in front of the women, all of who were unarmed- ladies don't bring wands to the dinner table.

Druella screamed, "See what you've done! You've poisoned our children; turned them against us! It's been you all along, hiding amongs us, cohersing them. Tricking them!"

Estel glared defiantly, "I merely loved them! They needed someone to."

Walburga shrieked, unleashing every curse she could against the shield charm, the others joining in. Papa began buckling under the weight of the attacks.

"Children get out of here!" Papa called, "To the Bones, hurry!"

"We can't Papa," Lucius bit out as he stood with Cissa in his arms, apparition having failed, "They placed anti-dissaparation wards up."

Hermione took in the scene from beside her brother dread filling her, they couldn't defend themselves against this number. Regulus wouldn't be able to bring himself to fully duel his aunt and uncle, let alone his parents, Lucius had Cissa who was in a dead faint and none of the girls could carry her, leaving just Papa with a wand able to fight. As the shield began flickering, starting to give out, Mama moved in front of the children. She stood firmly- unarmed- beside Papa, bracing her shoulders for the battle ahead.

"Poor little Estel," Walburga taunted throwing another curse at the collapsing shield, "Trapped and no wand to help protect your family. Ever the lady, always the fool."

"I'm a Lovegood," Mama snarled. She threw her hand forward and with a gesture the last remnants of the shield hardened then shattered, "I don't need one!" The jagged pieces hurtled through the air, ramming into the deatheaters, Walburga's taunts cutting out with a gurgle.

Hermione stared at Mama as her magic bristled in the air about her, all of these years she never knew. A quick look around the room proved she wasn't the only one stunned, only Papa was unsuprised and Lucius looked like he'd just solved a complex puzzle he'd been agonizing over. Without warning Mama swung her arm back behind her sending the kids tumbling out of the dining room in a burst of magic.

The children stumbled to their feet in the hallway, trying to compose themselves and figure out a plan while shouts, curses, and crashing echoed from the now closed dining room.

Petunia suddenly turned, lifted her skirts, and bustled towards the foyer, "I've got an idea!" Lucius nodded towards the other two before taking off after her, Cissa in his arms, Regulus and Hermione bringing up the rear. They spilled out the main doors, following Petunia to the large pathway where Papa's Christmas gift was parked proudly waiting to surprise him in the morning.

Tuney jumped into the drivers seat, fumbling for the keys on the dash and quickly adjusting the mirrors while the others clamored in, forcing a skeptical and nervous Regulus into the car. Petunia twisted around to look out the back window and put the vehicle in reverse. She floored it- gravel flying, her passengers grabbing onto anything they could find as they were flung forward.

"We're gonna die," Regulus horsely whispered, face white.

"Nonsense!" Petunia muttered determinedly as they sped backwards down the drive towards the edge of the wards, "Sometimes you just have to do things the muggle way!"

They burst past the Malfoy wards, cloaked death eaters suddenly appearing along with the muggle country road. Petunia shrieked in alarm, but didn't hesitate to continue their backward motion. She slammed into the first startled death eater at full speed, then swung the wheel sharply aligning the vehicle with the quiet country lane, dark wizards scattering out of the way. She stomped on the brakes then switched gears ignoring the spell fire shattering the windows.

Lucius reached over the seat to place a hand on Petunia's shoulder, "Mione, Reg, grab a hold of me, we're almost past their wards." The car roared as it leapt forward, catching a few masked wizards unaware. Fiendfyre erupted behind them and Petunia let out a shout as she gave the car all it had, racing for the edge.

The car occupants screamed as a tree was magically felled in front of them. They continued on their trajectory, hurtling towards the new barrier at alarming speed Petunia frantically braking to no avail. She spun the wheel hard, the car spinning out- CRACK!

They fell in a heap on Lady Bones' parlor floor, Flopsy and Lolly ringing their ears anxiously beside them.

The Malfoy heir was the first to collect himself. "We're under attack," Lucius gasped out distangling himself from the pile before moving to lay Cissa on a couch, Lady Bones and Bella rushing to his side. "Papa and Mama are defending the family ward books. If Riddle and his followers get those, even if they can't use most of them, they can hole up somewhere and we'd never be able to touch them."

Gabriel's face was thunderous, "Thimble! Grab my portkey." A house elf appeared with a watch in hand, "I can take yous also Master if it dont work. Bones' elves keyed to the Malfoys wards last year."

"Papa!" Amelia shouted trying to reach out and snag his robe.

Lord Bones serious expression twisted to smile warmly at his daughter and his wife now standing anxiously beside her, "To whatever end." He disappeared with a crack.

"We could have used an ELF!" Regulus howled from the floor, "I lost years off my life for nothing!"

Petunia blushed as she sat up next to him, looking down at her lap mumbling, "When Lucius said magic couldn't work, I assumed that meant Flopsy too. No one told me there was a distinction."

Flopsy stood beside a trembling Petunia, continuing to ring her ears. "Sorry I was bads elf! Elfs not to magic masters witouts asked. Its forbiddeds, but we hads to save childrens. Don't throws us out, we hads to!" The elf broke into a sob.

At Petunia's baffled expression Hermione shakily cut in while rolling a small stone between her fingers, "When house elves tie themselves to magical families, their magic becomes bound to ours, so the elves can't move wizards or alter our magic without our magic allowing it. It's why Flopsy couldn't fix your Gryffindor hairdo over the summer." She turned her attention to Lolly, Flopsy sobbing too loudly, "I don't even know how you were able to do it."

"We grabs Mistress Tunesy, no magics to fights ours. Everyones touch through her, so pop likes portskey!" Lolly explained her expression turning sad,"Stills, we move wizards on purpose withouts asks. We're PERVERTS!"

Petunia looked at her elf incredulously before pulling Flopsy into a tight hug, "You're the best elves in the world! Absolutely brilliant!"

Lucius, who had been partially listening while tending to his fiance nodded his agreeance, "Papa and Mama will understand. They won't end your contracts on a technicality, especially since it saved our lives." Flopsy and Lolly grinned brightly before popping away to help the Bones elves.

Regulus slumped his head on the floor, "We still could have used an elf from the beginning."

Lucius laughed, "You're looking at it all wrong Regs. Think of the story we can now tell - Harrowing escape in Papa's muggle death trap! Much better than house was attacked so we asked the elves to pop us to safety- while obviously a brilliant choice, not nearly as exciting."

Bella looked up, "Wait, you did what?!"

"Yes," Petunia tittered ignoring Bella's gasp of horror, "But when we retell it we need to leave out the parts where we screamed hysterically and Regulus started crying as we faced our imminent death by tree."

Regulus eyed her like she'd grown an extra head before he broke into hysterical laughter, Petunia soon joining in. All choosing to not think of the battle currently going on at the manor and the casualties that will result. Lily watched them, hovering over her sister frantically while Hermione continued to sit where they'd landed on the floor numbly fiddling with the stone she had made years ago when she was teaching herself from the family's advanced ward books. It glowed, flickering red on and off- the intruders were still trying to breech the infamous Malfoy wards. They'd have no luck, not even Tom could get through them without permission.

Hermione whispered to the stone and watched as names appeared on it, showing those who were keyed to the manor wards outside of the Malfoy family. The only death eater names to appear were those of the Blacks and Rossiers. It looked to go blank, Hermione breathing a sigh of relief, when suddenly one more name etched faintly onto the stone before vanishing. Hermione wanted to retch- he must have placed some sort of magical fail safe to keep himself keyed in without Papa knowing.

She had to warn her parents that Riddle still had access to the manor- Papa had to reset the wards. Her parents and Lord Bones against the Blacks and Rossiers was deadly, however they had no chance if Riddle makes an appearance. _'And why wouldn't he to destroy a family of traitors.'_ Hermione thought bitterly. She stood up slowly to not garner attention and moved to the hallway where she couldn't be overheard while the others were distracted.

"Lolly," Hermione whispered summoning her elf to her side, "Take me home." The house elf hesitated, but at the determined look in her mistress' eye she nodded reluctantly. Hermione appeared in her bedroom, immediately darting for her night stand to grab her wand.

She sprinted for the stairs, moving the fastest she ever had in this life. She leapt over the bannister, cushioning her fall with a spell before bolting for the dining room. She swung open the door she had been dumped out of previously to see the room in carnage. Walburga and the Rossiers were dead, Mama was on the ground- arm gone- presumably still alive because Papa was standing above her fighting while bleeding heavily from his side. Gabriel was in a duel with Cygnus and Druella, while Orion focused on the Malfoys.

Hermione sent a curse at Druella, Lady Black's dodge of Gabriel's expelliarmus the only thing saving her from being disembowled by Hermoine's surprise attack. Druella spun to face the direction the dark spell had come from to see the youngest Malfoy staring her down.

"You!" Druella spat, hurling a blood boiling hex, "You destroyed my daughter!"

Hermione deflected the spell with a transfigured chair back. "It's all a matter of perspective." She stepped deftly out of the way of a cruciatus, flinging a bone crusher in retaliation, "From where I'm standing I saved her."

Druella brought up a shield to block the spell. Hermione sent a burst of raw magic directly at the shield, destroying it and blistering Druella's arms. Lady Black reared back with a screech; Hermione pursued her advantage unleashing a fire spell. Druella writhed, sending spells wildly to no avail. She contorted sideways with pain as she burned only to witness Gabriel fell Cygnus. With a cry of rage she sent one last curse aimed at Lord Bones. Hermione shouted a warning, but it was too late. He looked up just in time to see the green light ram into him. He smashed against the wall, Druella cackling madly as the flames finally took her.

Hermione's shout alerted Papa to her presence. He spun frantically towards his daughter's voice opening up his guard. Orion surged forward sending a curse straight from the darkest depths of his family's library at Papa. It hit Abraxus straight in the chest and he doubled over choking, blood bubbling from his mouth.

Hermione screamed rushing to her father's side. She knelt down beside him in blind panic, running mentally through her lists of counter-spells trying to determine what could fix this. Orion laughed as he kicked her away, sending her sprawling into the corner. He began to stalk towards her, wand raised.

"Foolish woman! This is why you leave dueling to the men-" he was cut off by Mama who had grabbed his ankle with her hand. He pointed his wand down to curse her when Papa lunged forward with the last of his strength knocking Orion's wand away.

"So proud of you, our Little Rose." Estel gave her daughter one final look before closing her eyes, her magic humming to life around her. Orion tried to shake her off, but Mama held tight. The room shook and a great gust picked up, causing Hermione to turn away covering her head. With a ear splitting crack it ended, and when she looked back up Mama, Papa, and Orion were crumpled in a heap, splintered pieces of the dining table that had been near them completely cleared and thrown against the walls.

Hermione felt her world collapse as she let out a wail. She crawled across the destroyed dining room floor to them, where she checked for a pulse. There was none, but Mama and Papa were smiling, Estel's hand no longer grasping Orion's ankle but clasped in both of Papa's.

Mione sat there, staring down at them crying, until slow clapping drew her eyes to the door.

"I apparently arrived too late, I've missed the fun! I didn't expect such a resistance though, who knew Estel had that in her," his voice turned thoughtful, "Well Abraxus obviously, no wonder he was so insistent upon marrying her. Had I known I might have tried for her hand myself." He smiled smugly, Hermione recoiling disgusted.

His smile turned to a frown, "While the Rossier's were expendable the Blacks were not, who will pay for their spilt bood? You?" He eyed Hermione, his irises beginning to bleed red.

"And Lord Gabriel Bones allowed through the Malfoy wards unhindered and ready to come to the Malfoys aid, this type of alliance was truly unexpected. Abraxus surely outdid himself." He bent down to be level with Hermione, "I would normally offer you the chance to erase the sins of the parents, but a badger allies with badgers. This almost threat wreaks of the 'loyal' house- you played a key part." He circled about her, "A rather fetching part mind you, but none-the-less palpitable."

He stopped directly in front of her, "I regret to inform you your life is already forfeit. However, if you help me find what I'm looking for I promise to give your brother a chance to redeem himself and leave him to his pretty betrothed." He ran a hand across her jaw and under her chin, lifting her gaze to his. "Well?"

Hermione bobbed her head in understanding. Riddle grinned turning away towards the door. She contemplated shooting him in the back, but knew it would do no good with his horcruxes in place, besides he was too guarded at the moment, despite however it may appear otherwise. "You know what I'm here for, library or study?"

"Library."

He began making his way down the hall towards the far end of the manor. She started the walk with him, a few steps behind, before silently casting a false echo to trail him so it would seem she was still following. She muffled her feet and took off at a dead sprint the opposite way down the hall, praying he wasn't hiding a talent for collegiate running- she just needed at least a 30 second head start. Hermione knew it was now or never.

She had turned down a different hallway and was almost to the kitchen when she heard the cursing and sound of armor being smashed. She opened the kitchen window and dropped onto the garden pathway. Using the glow of the once festive orbs floating along the grounds for Christmas, she began weaving through the rose bushes and fountains looking for the manor's ward stone. She'd stumbled upon it a few times playing as a child, not til later knowing what it actually was.

She ran past the pond, tripping over a rock to land hard into a rose bush beside a willow. She pulled herself out of it, cursing, and while turning to stand caught sight of runes a few feet away. _'There'_ she breathed.

She scrambled to the stone, slicing her hand with the edge of the rock before placing it on the runes. As her blood seeped into the stone she connected with the wards, generations of magic filling her as she felt the different weaves and layers of her ancestral magic from all the different Lord Malfoys. It was overwhelming even though she knew what to expect from the books. However, through the rushing current of different magical signatures making up the history of her family she felt one that gave a calm gentle tug, slow and soft. _'Papa.'_

She centered herself around that thread in the great family wards, the one her father had placed. Taking a deep breath she called on her magic, letting it flow through her and pour into the runes.

"I, Scion of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Malfoy, Daughter of the Fallen Lord, call on the aid of my ancestors." The stone pulsed.

The gravel nearby began to crunch at a frantic pace, Riddle was drawing near.

"Our line is in danger, invaders threaten our House. No more shall our wards be breached." Light began spilling from the runes, "Reset the guards, recall permissions. Only those with the blood of our house shall step foot on our lands until the next Lord Malfoy decrees."

"AVADA KED-"

"So mote it be!" The stone blazed like the sun, magic surging forth from the runes in all directions covering every blade of grass, stone, and structure. Hermione felt the drain on her body and magical core as the power of centuries flowed through her and out, reweaving the wards and adding a new layer of her signature to them. She vaguely heard a garbled roar before the world suddenly went silent and dark.

Hermione was alone on the grounds.

* * *

A/N: I know I didn't want to kill them off either, but I planned the plot out from start to finish before I started writing, and I've got to stick to it. I did warn it was going to get darker; they are in a war. On the plus side, I'm planning on writing a short story (2 chapters max) about how Abraxus came to be with with Estel from Abraxus' point of view set during their last year at Hogwarts. Let me know what you think (of that idea and/or this chapter of course).


	11. Threads of Power

Disclaimer: Don't own HP

A/N: I know most of you think I'm a horrible person by now. I had to laugh at the wide range of reviews where some thought it was perfect and others were upset. But fear not, I don't write (nor care for) tragedies, overall this fic is not one, despite how a chapter goes here and there.

* * *

 **Threads of Power**

Sixth Year: Part Two

Hermione stared at the water droplet as it made it's path down the window pane. She was numb to the chatter and random shouts of indignation made by her housemates outside as they tried to tame the overgrown gardens around the cottage Bella had dubbed The Haven. Even Cissa was pitching in, having recovered from the curse, although the scar across her left jaw and shoulder would never fully heal. A fact Lucius could care less about, just relieved his fiance was alive and his sister hadn't gotten herself killed like he'd feared. According to Lily he'd been frantic when they realized Hermione had gone missing, nearly out of his mind with worry when he'd apparated back to the manor. Hermione vaguely remembered him scooping her out of the snow, shaking her and shouting. He'd taken her back to the Bones' to recover and then they'd all moved to The Haven, one of Hermione's inherited properties from Mama- no one wanting to face their ancestral homes at the moment. The youngest Malfoy definitely did not want to see the manor anytime soon if ever.

Hermione jerked away from the window, snapping the book in her lap shut before suddenly flinging it across the room. She pointed her wand at it and shouted, the book exploding. She pointed to various objects about the small study, smashing them to pieces.

"It's NOT fair! IT'S NOT FAIR!" She screamed blasting the clock off the wall, "What did I do wrong?"

The tea kettle burst into shards. "WHO THE HELL AM I SUPPOSE TO SAVE? HOW THE HELL CAN I SAVE ANYONE AGAINST SUCH RECKLESS HATE!"

Tears poured down her face, but she ignored them continuing to take out her rage on the furniture, "I'm just one person. I didn't ask for this!" She set the desk on fire, "DAMMIT, DAMMIT, DAMMIT!"

She slumped hard against the wall, sliding to the floor sobbing, "I can't save anyone! I know what's going to happen, yet I still can't save anyone. THERE'S NO POINT! What does it matter if I defeat him if I'm left standing alone?!"

The room went silent as Hermione just leaned against the wall crying, before the door opened slightly, soft footsteps making their way across the floor. Suddenly someone slid down beside her, pulling Hermione into their arms.

"Shhh. I know, I know," Bella breathed, tears falling from her eyes, "I miss them too, hell I miss mine. The wizarding world is mourning Lord Bones, unsure of what to feel over your parents, but celebrating the loss of the evil Blacks. Yet, even after everything they did, they were still my parents. I can't stop remembering my mom reading to me when I was a child 'The Princess and the Mudblood'," Bella choked on a sob, "You remember that one right? Lily would die if she ever comes across that book. The ministry banned it for a reason."

Hermione snorted, leaning heavily upon Bella, still crying. Druella had been particularly fond of that story.

"I wanted your parents to win," Bella whispered, "but I still loved mine." She paused, "When did the world turn so crazy?"

Hermione slumped backwards, "I don't know, was it ever sane?" After a long moment of contemplating, "What's the point in fighting when those we're fighting for are still dying?"

Bella shook her head slowly, "It's no longer for us. It's for those who haven't been born yet, our childrens' generation. Ours will be riddled with strife and eventually rebuilding, but we're fighting for their future. Just as your parents fought for ours." She mulled over her next thought, "The current war came into motion long before we were able to stop it from starting- that had been our parents' responsibility, not ours- but we can end it."

'And never let it resurrect,' Hermione thought bitterly. However, this was now her timeline, and she loved these friends and family with a fierceness she only faintly recalled having for the others. She sighed, a phantom image of Harry coming to her mind. She knew she was meant to prevent the second war, not the first, but it was so hard to see the people she loved now die. "How will we win?"

"Together," Amei spoke softly from just in the doorway eyes red from nights of crying, Lily standing beside her with a watery smile, "We'll do it together."

Lily held out her hands to help pull the girls off the floor, "Come on, Petunia is teaching Lucius and Sirius to drive the Ford Capri. Regs has 20 galleons on them ending up in the small lagoon out back! Sirius seems to have a penchant for frozen bodies of water."

Bella sniffed as haughtily as she was able under the circumstances, discretely dabbing at her eyes before taking the offered hand, "Ladies don't make bets."

"But they can watch, shaking their heads in bemused disapproval, while Sirius learns first hand cars don't swim," Amei grinned softly heading out of the room.

"I suppose," Bella smiled shakily, yanking Hermione to her feet before chasing after Bones and Lily. Hermione dusted herself off, then quickly began setting the destroyed study to rights. With everything repaired and the desk no longer blazing merrily Hermione headed towards the yard when she collided with a wall.

Arms came around her to steady her and the wall let out a chuckle. She looked up into blue eyes, long auburn hair brushing his shoulders.

"Hello Little Badger."

Hermione closed her eyes, wrapping her arms tightly around him, breathing him in, "Fabian."

He crushed her to him, sweeping her up in his arms. "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," he mumbled into her hair ghosting soft kisses across her brow and cheeks. He loosened his grip slightly, "How are you holding up?"

Hermione trembled slightly, shaking her head, "I'm taking it day by day."

He leaned down pressing a kiss to her mouth, "It will take time Darling. Let's go join the others. Lucy knows I'm here and he'll throw me out if he finds out I have you in here alone. Heaven forbid if you're even slightly ravished."

Hermione let out a startled laugh, the first one since Christmas Eve. He beamed down at her, holding out his hand. She took it, letting him lead her outside to the others- her family.

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

Hermione reread her last letter from Mama again as she sat in the Hufflepuff common room her friends pushing off the transfiguration essay to play a game of exploding snap. Her mother always tended to know things, brimming with clever advice and hidden meanings. Hermione shook her head bemused, since childhood Mama had been sneakily teaching her and Lucius the secrets of wandless magic, and like complete dunderheads neither of them had pieced it together. 'No wonder there are no Malfoys in Ravenclaw,' Hermione muttered to herself. She grimaced, looking back the signs were all there, Mama wandering around everywhere unarmed, Xeno keeping his wand tucked behind his ear never seeming to remember where it is. She vaguely recalled Luna using her wand like a hair ornament to keep a messy bun in place. Their eccentricities hid their family's secret- wandless magic. She looked back down at the letter.

'Maybe you can find someone who has seen it firsthand.'

Hermione huffed, "They're all dead..." She paused her line of thought, this was strikingly familiar. She racked her her brain trying to remember, it was all so hazy. Students screaming as they ran for their common rooms, the castle preparing for attack, Luna shouting after them when Harry was looking for Ravenclaw's diadem- Luna, the diadem.

She grabbed her cloak and headed out of the common room ignoring her friends' questions as she left. She moved down the corridors and eventually outside, moving towards the outer courtyard the Grey Lady liked to haunt. She wrapped her cloak about her tightly against the bitter winds of January as she spied the ghost in question passing through a column.

"Excuse me, you're Rowena's daughter, correct? You wouldn't happen-"

The ghost turned to her, an unsettling expression on her face as she hissed, "I don't know where my mother's diadem is."

"I'm not asking about that." Hermione huffed, her breath misting out from her mouth as she waved her hand dismissively at the thought, "I want to know if you were alive for the Battle of Black Lake."

The ghost eyed her cautiously, nodding slowly in affirmation.

Hermione felt hope flicker in her chest, her face lighting up in excitement, "How did Helga do it? I know she was the source of the ancient battle magics. How was a human able to be the focus? You had to have seen them wield it during the battle."

The Grey Lady's eyes went wide, then she laughed coldly, "After her death the others couldn't do their great feats anymore. It took me years to realize it, and when a new threat on the horizon appeared, I begged them to show me how she'd done it so I could defend the castle. Godric didn't understand it well enough to explain and Salazaar had already left. Mother knew, but she wouldn't say. She only told me I wouldn't be able to use it, no one but Helga could. That's why I took her diadem, to gain the knowledge to understand how it was done." She shook her head before moving off down the path way. "I was such a fool."

Hermione frowned calling after her, "That's it? You have to know something else about it!"

The Grey Lady turned back to study her, looking slightly agitated, "Mother had the tapestries now resting in your common room commissioned after Helga died. She said they held the secret, but all I learned after hours of staring was what I already knew, Helga was the key." A calculating look entered her eyes, "But perhaps one of her own can figure it out."

Hermione knew a dismissal when she heard one, she wouldn't be getting anymore information on the subject from the ghost. She turned to leave when the Grey Lady passed in front of her, "You have to stop him. He corrupted Mother's diadem; he turned it evil!"

Hermione locked eyes with her nodding, "I know, and I will."

She took off, making her way back inside the castle, bustling past people who stopped to stare as she rushed by. She took the stairs two at a time and darted down the hallway, stammering out the password rapidly to the suit of armor guarding the common room. She immediately honed in on the fireplace and yanked the tapestry off the wall despite protests from housemates. She bundled it up in her arms and moved to her room, depositing the cloth on her bed.

Lily rushed after her, leaving her unfinished transfiguration essay and game of exploding snap in the common room. "What are you doing?"

"Rowena's daughter is the Ravenclaw ghost. She saw the founders use the great battle magics. The secret is in the tapestry."

Lily frowned, "But we've seen it everyday for six years, you've looked at that religiously since you realized what was really going on in the picture. What else can it tell us?"

Hermione's lips twitched a small smile thinking of Mama's lessons as a child as Bella and Bones tumbled in to the room. "Sometimes," she breathed flipping it over, "You just need to look at it from a new angle."

All four girls peered down at the back of the tapestry. Threads ran in tangles all over the back, no visible image or description.

"Well that's a let down," Bones muttered.

Hermione sighed frustrated, after puzzling over it for a few minutes she turned to take a quick walk to clear her head before looking at it again when Bella halted her. She grabbed the edge of the material, lifting it slightly to see the front before laying it back flat.

"Mother made me learn needle point during her decorum drill days when I came home after my first year, it's very ladylike." Bella hummed to herself as she placed her hand around a giant mess of threads that seemed to come from every corner of the canvas. "This is where Helga is, but these threads aren't the correct colors to make up her image. This," she lifted a small tangle of red, orange, and gold, "Is the fire Godric is casting, but look- the red thread starts at Rowena- even though they aren't in her front colors either- moves to Helga, then to Godric. And these," She gestured to another few strands of the same color, "Start at Godric, go to Helga, then return to Godric." She pointed at a run of blue and silver, "And these start at Slytherin, trace to Helga, then go to Rowena for the wave." She took another quick look at the front before looking at back, "In fact, all of the threads used for the spell work circle through Helga, before going to the castor even if they originate at the castor."

Hermione's eyes widened in dawning revelation, "She's not just focusing the magic, she's channeling it. She's taking everyone's magic and redistributing it where it's needed including her own. So a spell could have the power of up to four wizards behind it. That's how they had enough magic to power the ancient battle spells."

Bones whistled, "That's insane, you could make someone a squib. If they all pulled at once they could have drained her magical core."

Hermione nodded in the affirmative, "Or she could have drained one of theirs'."

"Which is why none of the others could do it," Lily whispered, "They didn't fully trust each other- the history books are filled with their little inner rivalries, all of them bickering at one point or another except for her."

Bones laughed, "She's the only one each of them trusted with such open access to their magic. She had no thirst for glory, ambition, or knowledge; she didn't mind not being recognized for what she did, appearing to stand there while the others performed wonders."

Bella sat back, thinking before letting the words fall, "She was loyal. She's the one they knew would never endanger them or their magic on a whim, and she's the only one who trusted the others wouldn't turn her into a squib or leave her defenseless as she channeled."

They all looked at each other grinning widely in a rush of excitement, finally they were getting somewhere. Finally a taste of hope was on the tip of their tongues when Lily suddenly blanched, "So, who's going to be the channel?"

They all looked at each other aghast, if they were seriously going to wield that power, someone would have to channel it.

Bella squared her shoulders, face grim, "I will."

Amei hummed, "Do you know how magic travels through the body, let alone how to intentionally pass it between others?"

Bella grimaced, "No, it's not taught, but I bet we can find a book on it to learn."

Hermione whispered, "I know how." The other three turned to look at her, "It's part of the basic concept of wandless magic, Mama taught me."

"You can do wandless magic," Lily gasped.

Hermione jerked her head in the negative, "No, I didn't realize what she was doing at the time to piece it together. But I know how to deliberately move raw magic, how to intentionally connect to the core and pull magic."

Bella grinned, "Then you can teach me."

"We don't have that type of time; Voldemort is growing stronger by the day," Amei hissed, "Hermione needs to be the channel."

Bella frowned, "No, she's our best fighter."

Hermione twiddled her wand in her hand, Harry's wand, the wand that shared a wand core with Voldemort. While the Dark Lord wasn't aware of it, she knew full well what it meant in battle by Harry's descriptions. She studied it thoughtfully before making up her mind, "No, Bones is right. I'll be the channel."

Bella went to protest, but Hermione cut her off, "Bella, I know you have it in you to be the most dangerous dueler the death eaters have come across. You just have to trust yourself; you won't turn into your parents."

Bella looked at her sharply before tilting her head in tense ascent.

Bones gripped Bella's arm, "We all know you have a dark streak, but you're not evil. You're not even the only one with a dark bent in Hufflepuff," she grinned, "Just look at Hermione."

The witch in question glanced up bewildered.

Lily laughed, "No one who has such a fondness for the bone crushing hex can classify themselves as light. Besides, I was there when Lucius cast a charm on your wand to try to see if any spells you'd fired could have played into the magical exhaustion from resetting the wards. You certainly weren't flinging stupifies- I don't know if your brother was more proud or horrified."

"Ok," Hermione huffed, "So I might be slightly grey."

Bella gave her a look.

Bones patted Hermione's shoulder, "Don't worry, the Prewitts obviously like their women the same way they like their chocolate: dark." Her voice turned thoughtful, "And perhaps in Gideon's case a tad nutty."

"I guess you would understand the pull to dark and slightly unhinged Amei," mused Lily, ignoring Bella's indignant "I'll show you nutty!" and dodging a flying pillow. "Considering I caught you with Regs while you two were suppose to be setting up markers for where Petunia is planting a herb garden in the Spring." She raised an eyebrow, "Unless you were just checking for fertile soil in the back of his throat with your tongue?"

Bones spluttered, Bella paused mid throw to gape.

"Don't worry, I won't tell the great chaperon Lucius. He has enough worry trying to keep Fabian from 'being untoward' with his precious Mione. Poor thing is never going to get any action, forced to keep Cissa company in the nunnery."

Hermione felt the blush rise in her face.

Bella laughed, "Don't pity my sister too hard, Cissa knew she was hitching her thestral to a prude," She paused collecting herself, "Not that a lady doesn't wait until she's married, but a bit of deep kissing helps that wait along."

"Funny, I have a feeling that particular sentence never left your mother's mouth," Amei smirked ducking an owl treat missile, "Or are you writing a new book from your vast knowledge on both etiquette and broom closets?"

With a shriek the atmosphere in the room continued down the path towards more normal waters.

A few weeks later found Hermione flipping through the Daily Prophet at breakfast, reading up for herself on the latest stir in the Wizengot. Lady Bones had taken her husband's seat and was mentoring Lucius and Andromeda- the proxy for the House of Black appointed by the new Lord, Sirius- on the legislative branch of Magical England. Together with the backing of Lords Prewitt, Longbottom, and Potter, they had become a force to be reckoned with in the Ministry.

They started slowly, wearing their robes rolled up above the elbows- Lucius having let it slip that Riddle marks all of his followers on the forearm- and were now pushing for a law to require everyone with a seat to do the same, all known death eaters to be expelled from the Wizengot as traitors. Even if the law didn't pass, they were putting Riddle's supporters in a tough spot, making it increasingly difficult to secretly be in his pocket. The neutral families who had been scared off after the death of Abraxus began to eye those around them who were adamant about keeping their sleeves down with distrust, it was one thing to have dark leanings another to be actively trying to usurp the government.

Needless to say the mood over at the Slytherin table was grim, the two Blacks slightly alienated in the corner with Severus and Anthony. Hermione flicked her gaze over to the four, sitting heads held high as they finished breakfast. The others in the green house unsure how to view the Blacks in the new reign of the House of Black headed by Sirius. The sixth year Gryffindor had not been formally disinherited before his parents' deaths, and had pulled all of his family power and wealth out from under the Dark Lord to pit it directly against him. Regulus had everyone in the house questioning, was he like his brother or parents, but Cissa no one trusted, she was engaged to a Malfoy.

Hermione rolled her eyes, part of her wished they wouldn't be so Slytherin, but then again when living in a snake pit it's dangerous to rattle the nest. Better to leave them unsure and guessing. Hermione sighed as she turned the next page, absently swatting Bella's hand away from her stack of bacon, ignoring the mutterings of ladies not showing aggression.

Lily sat down across from them, picking out some cheese and eggs, "I have an idea for H.A."

A corner of the newspaper folded down, showing Hermione was listening.

"We need to be able to practice real combat spells that we can't cast at each other in fear someone might accidentally get hit by them, so what if we..."

It took Lily, Hermione, and Lupin working together for a few weeks, but by the end of February they had what they needed.

"Everyone put your wands in this basket," Amei announced, walking around the room. With slight hesitance everyone surrendered their wands, Bones making sure not to let up until she was positive she had collected everyones'.

"Now these," Lily proclaimed holding up a simple muggle looking toy wand, "Are going to be our practice wands for the foreseeable future while in this room. You can cast whatever spell you want, light or dark, and when the curse leaves the wand and hits your opponent it will light-up whatever part of your body is out of comission without doing actual harm. This way you know the damage level of certain spells, can safely practice deadly magic, and can practice your aim and avoidance of them. Observe." She whirled about pointing her wand at Potter, "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

The occupants of the room screamed as James was hit dead on with the green light. But instead of falling over lifeless his whole body lit up green, and the word 'DEAD' flashed on his forehead.

"You're out Potter," Lily called to him, grinning like a loon, "Constant vigilance!"

James walked shakily to the sidelines, "I think I need to sit down for a moment anyway. Took years off my life."

The others stared at her as if she'd lost her mind before suddenly Severus managed to find his voice, "And everyone calls Slytherins the sneaky dark wizards." He huffed in exasperation before taking a wand from his beaming girlfriend. "Next time, pick a less horrifying curse to just fling at someone in a demonstration. For a split second I thought I was going to have to spend the rest of my life viewing you through the bars of a cell in Azkaban."

The others quickly grabbed wands and spent the rest of the evening practicing, moving to the sidelines when they were fully incapacitated according to the wands magic. Hermione eventually plopped down beside Lupin watching the last of those still 'alive' duel it out. She had gotten hit by a curse sent by Bella that had just clipped her wrist, but had spread over the course of a few minutes to take over her whole body, declaring her 'DEAD'.

Lupin sat beside her, quietly observing, "I wish we didn't have a real need to invent wands like these except as a way to goof around with friends. Where we didn't need to know these kinds of spells."

Hermione watched Bella and Lily take on Regs, Sev coming to his housemate's aid, curses flying wildly as they ducked and weaved. She replied softly, "So do I."

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot

-#-

Hermione found a thread of her magic, gently coaxing it away from her magical core to let it flow through her chest, out her arm, pushing it slowly through her linked hand with Bella.

Bella shrieked, jerking her hand back, "For the tenth time, gentle!"

Hermione huffed frustratingly, "And for the tenth time, I am!"

Lily and Bones let out a putter of laughter from the other side of the room, far enough away to observe without being asked to participate.

Hermione groaned exasperatingly, "You have to trust me, allow my magic to join with yours."

Bella glared at her, "Really? You're doubting my trust?"

The youngest Malfoy sighed, collecting her composure, "Alright, let's try a different approach. Close your eyes Bella."

Bella eyed her suspiciously, "You're just going to zap me again."

"Trust witch, now close them!" Hermione growled, waiting for the restored Scion of Black to listen before continuing, "Alright, now inhale and exhale, slowly. Good, good. In the middle of your chest, a little behind and to the right of your heart, is your magical core. Think of it like a glowing ball of spooled thread. Do you see it?" She waited a few minutes for Bella's nod before continuing, "Take a small end of it and pull it away, gently weaving it through your arm to your hand that's clasped in mine."

Bella nodded, humming to herself. She breathed slowly as Mione reached for her hand again, trying to follow her friend's instructions. Hermione shot her a quick glance out of the corner of her eye to make sure Bella was still behaving before she too closed her eyes. Hermione pictured the magic flowing from her own chest, a soft glowing amber, pulling a piece she let it flow through her arm and when it touched Bella's hand this time Hermione let out a gasp as a lavender magical signature lit up by her side mapping the magical flow through her friend. It was wild yet orderly, encompassing Bella's very essence. Hermione concentrated and joined her amber thread to the lavender one, braiding them together.

Bella's breath hitched as amber erupted behind her closed eyes, flowing calmly through her body following her changling lavender magic to her core. When the amber light wrapped about the center Bella felt a surge of power. Still holding Hermione's hand in her left, she drew her wand and cast a lumos. She saw the amber and lavender race through her wand arm exploding through the wand. Bones and Lily suddenly shouted.

Bella and Hermione opened their eyes and immediately had to close them against the blinding light cast from Bella's wand. Bella ended the spell, opening her eyes again as the rushed footsteps of Bones and Lily drew closer.

Hermione however continued to concentrate, pulling back her amber signature and drawing Bella's with hers. Mione allowed both the amber and lavender magic to flow through her hand and up her arm. She gasped as the power filled her, swirling around in her chest. She disconnected the signatures and let the lavender threads flow back to Bella.

"Oh!" Lily squealed holding out her hand and squeezing her eyes shut, "My turn!"

Bones let out a laugh as Bella continued to stare down at her own hands in amazement. Hermione huffed out a giggle, extending her hand to catch Lily's anxious one.

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

Hermione sat beside Lily in the stands, on top of her mess of wind teased blonde locks a badger head spelled to roar and chant a fight song Bones and Charles had come up with late one night in third year. Her housemates sat around her in rapt attention to the quidditch finals about to begin on the field below, some of the older students at times leaning over to rub the badger hat's nose for good luck while waiting in anticipation. The whole stadium was abuzz with excitement, Hufflepuff having slowly become a force to reckoned with over the years.

"And they're off! Look at those badgers fly, it's the perfect day for a glorious victory. I just feel it in the wind, don't you?"

"I think both teams are equally likely Charles, given the upsetting results leading to this finals match. Although I must say, the Bludger Queen is in high form-"

"Swings that bat like a true lady."

"- and the Captain of the Puffs isn't messing around either. We might just see the badgers take the cup home again this year."

"Speaking of Amelia, there she goes with the quaffle."

"Racing hard down the pitch, she fakes left and throws right to Evelyn. Completely bewildering Potter."

"Not that that is any real challenge, Zabini."

"Of course not Charles. OH, there goes the throw."

"YES! First goal of the game to HUFFLEPUFF!"

The puffs rose to their feet, thundering their approval. Lily held up the edge of a banner while Hermione's Badger hat gave a mighty roar, the house taking up the cry.

"Yes!" Charles continued celebrating, "Take that you stupid Lio-!"

Hermione and Lily glanced down to the commentators box where Professor McGonnagall had arrived looking particularly nasty.

"Why Professor, we don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes Professor McGonagall, no personal feelings are involved, we swear."

Hermione stifled a laugh as Minerva pulled a chair up in-between the two boys, sitting herself down upon it in a silent threat.

"And Gryffindor has the ball," Charles whispered into his mic, "The Lions doing a perfectly adequate job getting it down the field."

"Very good," Zabini muttered giving a soft, slow golfers clap. "Just not quite as graceful as the fearsome Captain Bones."

Charles leaned around the annoyed professor, "No of course not, but what did you expect?"

"Potter dives for the hoops. Travis going for the block."

"AND-! Ugh, score for Gryffindor."

"We mean yay." Zabini corrected poorly, "Way to go Gryffindor."

Charles gave an unenthusiastic hoot into the mic, waving a little Gryffindor pendant Professor McGonagall provided in a small circle.

The game continued in similar fashion, the Lions and Badgers locked in a tight grid on the playing field, Bones and team struggling to keep any sort of margin ahead against Potter and the others. The fans were starting to get tense, the players agitated. The Gryffindor Head of House eventually confiscated the mic from Charles, although she had to surrender it shortly to a scolding Flitwick.

The snitch finally appeared, Sirius making a dive for it, Amos on the wrong side of the field. Bella took aim and swung her bat violently. Sirius veered off course forced to loose either the snitch or his head as Slytherin erupted into cheers for the first time during the match.

"No," Anthony deadpanned gravely into the mic, "There are no hard feelings remaining from Gryffindors previous match with Slytherin at all. We are a completely unbiased third party."

"Most certainly Mr. Zabini," Professor Flitwick smiled understandingly, "It's not like anyone from our houses have vested interest in seeing Gryffindor lose. Professor McGonagall doesn't rub quidditch cup victories in the faculties faces for the whole summer at all."

Anthony nodded absently watching the seekers race about the field looking for the snitch to reappear, "She's far too professional."

"Quite."

Evelyn intercepted the quaffle from Maureen McKinnon, tossing it to Amei who passed it to Townley for the goal. James swooped in stealing the quaffle, darting down the field. He pretended to shoot, the puff goalie diving left, but instead he dropped it to Frank Longbottom below who now had a clear shot at the hoops.

All of the crowds' focus was on the Gryffindor chaser when out of nowhere Bella bellowed,"Amos!" She swung her bat in what appeared to be thin air, a crack resounding throughout the stadium.

"IS that?!" Anthony cried as he squinted, Amos rearing back to catch the golden snitch like a baseball outfielder as it came hurtling towards him. All of the fans in the stadium came to their feet in disbelief, Hufflepuff letting out a battlecry.

"Oh my, was that allowed?" Flitwick breathed hesitantly into the mic, Hufflepuff students spilling onto the field to tackle their housemates while Gryffindors shouted protests.

"I don't know," Zabini shook his head as he watched his friends pile on top of each other, Hermione's roaring badger hat barely visible, "but it certainly won't be next year."

* * *

A/N: A lighter chapter to help balance out the last one. Only four chapter left now! Thank you for your reviews; I greatly appreciate them :)


	12. These Dark Days

_**AN:** I LIVE! _

_Thank you all for your patience during the unintentional hiatus. I was swamped by life and could not get this chapter to come together, but finally I managed to get it completed._

 _Warning in the chapter title, but there are still sections filled with the usual humor._

* * *

 **These Dark Days**

Seventh Year: Part 1

Hermione browsed the books on the shelves, soaking in the comforting atmosphere. Lily and Lucius were a few stores down at the apothecary picking up potion ingredients, the others at the Haven pruning the gardens, preparing them for fall. Hermione smiled to herself, in all honesty they were probably relaxing in the sun on such a warm day while taskmaster Lucius was running errands, hence why they sent Hermione and Lily with him to drag their heels and invent more ways to keep him occupied. Speaking of which, she had to find her brother to remind him to swing by the pet store for more owl treats- Gemini had specific tastes thanks to a certain co-owner who spoiled him rotten.

She paid for the books in her arm and headed out the door towards the apothecary. She was passing a turn-in for Knockturn when she noticed a broken wand on the ground; she looked down the inlet to see what appeared to be someone being dragged down the end of the narrow pathway. She checked around herself to make sure no one was paying her any mind before slipping down the turn-in. She moved silently but quickly down the narrow alley, pausing before the entrance to a small square in Knockturn. She peered around the corner to see a woman being cursed and beaten in the middle of a group of six or so death eaters, young looking so likely little to no experience in combat. She took a deep breath, sending off her patronus, before moving into the square at a run.

She charged forward, firing off a curse before she'd reached the circle of dark wizards. A mangled body crumbling- result of the bone crushing spell- was the only warning they received before she was amongst them. She ducked, bobbed, and weaved, flinging hexes and curses with precision at the unsuspecting wizards. Three more were down before she made it to stand over the woman huddled in the middle. She planted her feet, facing down the last two when more death eaters began popping in. She debated risking an opening in her defenses to grab the woman and disapparate, when the dark planes of her mindscape lit up with a green light of magic coming her way- soft, mint. She threw a shield up between her and the death eaters, reaching out her other hand to send an amber thread behind her, calling for aid. A ribbon of green rose to meet it, weaving in with the amber to flow back into Hermione. Hermione felt the charge of power through her magical core as a hand slipped into hers sealing the connection. Hermione raised her wand and fired through her shield, blades of wind bursting forth and ramming into the first group of dark wizards, cutting them down.

She felt the tug on her magic and let the green and amber magic flow out through the clasped hand into Lily. The red head took over the shield charm, re-powering. Hermione watched the shield thicken, humming in the air before them as it brimmed with magic. Hermione once again took up the offense- leaving Lily to defend- as she bore down on Voldemort's followers like a vengeful angel, passing their joint magic back and forth between their hands, neither loosening their grip on the other.

Lucius took only a moment to gape at the suddenly strengthened shield charm before turning with Lily to protect the rear. They formed a triangle, Lily defending the group while the Malfoys unleashed every dark spell from their arsenals. Hermione felt her concentration begin to waiver as she tried to keep up with attacking while still channeling the magical connection. She felt herself mentally sag with relief when her cutting hex severed the head of the last dark wizard. She reached down to grab the injured witch and finally disapparate when Riddle suddenly appeared before them.

"Ah! If it isn't the Malfoys. I was wondering when you would crawl out from under your rock. Tired of hiding like the cowards you are?"

"Oh Tom, it's you." Lucius replied steadily, his whitened knuckles the only sign of tension, "I've been so busy flattening your followers in the Wizengot I almost forgot you considered yourself important."

"My my Little Malfoy, so very like your father. The silver tongue that can sway the masses; be careful you don't bite off more than you can chew. Abraxus got too cocky and ended up choking." Riddle smirked, "Turned sentimental in his old age by the little bitch Ravenclaw he kept as a pet. He practically put the wand to his own head, inviting the enemy in with open arms- the fool."

Lucius laughed, "Sometimes you have to take risks upon yourself to advance and level the field. But what do you know of sacrifice plays, He Who Will Live Forever?"

Hermione looked sharply at her brother, on the surface he sounded merely taunting, but she heard the edge in his voice at the mock title. He knew something.

Riddle's voice went hard, "That they're for the weak. A weak mind and weak will, so easily swayed by a beautiful face. Your father was a nobody, and when I'm done with your line that's all anyone will remember the Malfoys as- If they even remember you at all!" He raised his wand firing an unforgivable at the new Lord Malfoy.

Hermione shouted, shoving her brother aside to jump in front of the green light, firing her infamous bone crusher. The spells connected in the air with a thunderous crack, arching outwards to link the wand cores, just as Harry had described. Hermione watched the line of magic turn gold, a bead being pushed towards her. Phantoms of dark wizards began to slowly erupt from her wand- all those she had killed. They circled about her jeering, distracting. Hermione gritted her teeth as Druella appeared, shrieking at the youngest Malfoy every foul name she knew.

With all of her will Hermione focused and began pushing the bead away from her wand tip, forcing it towards the bewildered Dark Lord. His face lit with panic when shadows of his victims began pouring out of his wand, moving towards the teenagers to keep Hermione's dark phantoms at bay.

Riddles' voice sounded hysterical, "What is- How?!"

Hermione began to feel the drain, she wouldn't be able to hold the link much longer. "Get out of here," she hissed to Lily and Lucius, denying Lily's attempt to reconnect their hands to strengthen Hermione's magic. She couldn't afford to let Riddle see even the hint of what they were learning, and with their wands linked she didn't know how much of her magical signature he could read.

Lucius grabbed her shoulder, "Mione-"

"Now! And take her with you, I'll break the connection and be right behind in the confusion."

Malfoy nodded before grabbing the unconscious witch and disapparating, Lily closely following.

Hermione turned her attention to the white faced Riddle, "Scared Tom?"

She ripped her wand away with all of her strength, shattering the connection. The shadows of Voldemort's victims rushed passed her toward Tom, with one final look she disapparated, just catching sight of a smiling Uncle Jasper and Grandmere before they turned as one and charged the Dark Lord.

Hermione landed in the parlour, right on top of an already thrice smashed cake.

"I told you it was too close to the apparition point!" Petunia huffed at Bella, as she bent over the injured woman, checking for a pulse.

Bones looked over her shoulder, peering down, "Is that Professor Havens' wife, Marie?"

Hermione moved over quickly, kneeling down beside Petunia. She brushed the long dark hair out of the woman's face and nodded, "Yes. Amei have your mum contact Hogwarts."

Amei raced for the kitchens.

That night- hours after a frantic Professor Havens and Madam Pomfrey had bustled a still feint Marie back to Hogwarts' infirmary- Hermione sought out her brother, finding him pouring over some notes in the study. She pulled up a seat beside him, plopping down and dropping a book over his notes to garner his attention.

"Alright, talk. What do you know of Riddle's plans to live for ever." She eyed him closely, "Don't give me that look; I've known you for 17 years. You know something important."

He kept his mouth shut, turning back to his notes having shoved her book off. Hermione studied him for a bit before it struck her, "You know about the Horcruxes."

His head jerked up and he turned to stare at her wild eyed. He pointed his wand at the door locking it and silencing it. He then dropped his wand on the desk and grabbed her by the shoulders, "How do you know about those?!" he hissed urgently.

"I asked first." She folded her arms not backing down. Silver and gold eyes met, glaring. Finally Lucius sighed, running his hand through his hair.

"Papa told me, him and Mama figured it out last year."

Hermione sat back in her seat stunned, "They knew?"

Lucius nodded, studying her, "Papa had been trying to figure out for ages what Tom had done to believe he'd harnessed immortality. He was always trying to subtly get it out of Orion or Cygnus. However, last fall Mama came across a book Riddle had given Papa back in school while she was in the family vaults. It felt off to her and she brought it home to show him; Papa realized it was a horcrux when he read the magical signature.

"With Riddle not upset about Papa having it, even though Papa hadn't sworn allegiance, they knew he had to have made more than one." Lucius shuddered to himself, "Papa then began some digging, spending more time with the other dark families, looking over his old journals from school. Long story short, Riddle's hunted down the Founders objects and turned them into horcruxes."

"Is that why Papa allowed the Blacks over for Christmas Eve, trying to figure out more information?"

Lucius shook his head with a sad frown, "Not really. I'm sure some of it was sentimental, them being his closest childhood friends and having spent every Christmas Eve together for his whole life, but the main reason," He looked Hermione in the eye, "Orion had a horcrux, he wore it on his person."

He fished through the desk drawer he kept locked at all times, pulling out a destroyed locket, "He started wearing this to the Wizengot in November. Papa saw it and recognized the signature, but couldn't come up with a way to get it from him. With him and Lord Bones about to push forth their litigation which would show our hand, he realized Christmas Eve would be his last chance to grab it. Mama thought it was too risky, she wanted to find another way to get it, but Papa was insistent and the Bones' agreed it was our best shot. Last chance to catch them on home turf and- so we thought- unprepared."

He dropped Slytherin's locket into Hermione's shocked hands. She held it, turning it in her grasp to check all sides of it- destroyed.

"Mama and Papa had it clasped in between their hands," Lucius voice turned horse, "When I found them in the dining room."

Hermione's mind went numb as she recalled the final moments in the dining room. The reason Orion was able to put up so much magical opposition against her parents. Papa lunging on to Orion seemingly to just knock away a wand. Mama's incredible magical force. It hadn't been all to destroy Orion, it had been to take out the horcrux he carried. The burst of air and earsplitting sound had been the destruction of the locket.

"Lord and Lady Bones were hunting for the the other founders artifacts. Lady Bones is still trying to find the diadem, and I have Gideon and Fabian helping with Hufflepuff's cup." He sat back in his chair sending her a calculating glance, "Now your turn Little Rose."

"I know where the diadem is." Hermioen whispered, her voice emotional from rehashing the past. "It's in Hogwarts. The Grey Lady is Rowena's daughter, Riddle had charmed the location of where it was hidden out of her. That's why he was in Albania when we were children, hunting for it. He then turned it into a horcrux and hid it at the school."

"How did he get it in there? I can't imagine Dumbledore letting him back on the grounds."

"When he applied for the teaching position when you were 10. He went to Hogwarts to interview, remember when he nearly tore apart Papa's study afterwards with his anger over being turned down?"

Lucius stared at her, "You are always full of wonders. Truely a gift."

She smiled mischieviously breaking the atmosphere, "I'm a Lovegood, we just know."

A smirk flitted across his face before vanishing, "Promise me you won't go looking for it yet- these things are evil. We're still researching how to destroy them and I don't want you doing what Mama did."

She looked down at the floor, "I know where it is already."

Lucius stiffened then sighed, "Leave it there, until we have a better method to destroy them. No sacrifice plays for this. I can't- I can't lose you too. Promise me Little Rose."

She was silent.

"Promise me."

"I Promise."

He pulled her into a hug, they leaned against each other in comfort for a few minutes.

"I saw Uncle Jasper and Grandma Lovegood today," she muttered softly into her brother's shoulder, "Their shadows came out of Riddle's wand."

Lucius hummed, trying to process the new information, "Are you alright?"

"They smiled at me- like they were proud of me. Like all of the phantoms of those I had killed did not make me a monster." She started crying, "Like I'm still worth their protection, their love."

Lucius hushed her, slowly rocking her back and forth, "Killing monsters does not make you a monster."

"But I've still killed people. My hands are starting to look just as red as theirs' are. Afraid if I stun them they'll only get back up later to hit me in the back. And I'm teaching others to be just as deadly as me. Our spells don't look any different than theirs."

"But the intent behind them isn't the same. You're fighting to protect, you don't enjoy the kill- They live for it. You're not a monster; I wouldn't love one." he kissed the top of her head, "And I love you very much." He frowned, "If I didn't I would have let that Gryffindor scoundrel abscond with you years ago."

Hermoine let out a watery laugh, Lucius watching her face a light smile tugging on the edge of his lips, "I don't have any hope of him not becoming my brother-in-law, do I?"

Hermione shook her head, a warm smile coming to her face as she recalled Fabian's vibrant blue eyes and wicked grin, "I'm in love with him."

"Damn," he sighed, holding her close.

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

The defense professor moved down the aisles of his class, handing back their essays on advanced shielding with his usual style of commentary.

"Insightful theory on merging a shield with a notice-me-not charm Ms Evans. I have no doubt Professor Flitwick finds your charm work unparalleled."

"Ms Black, a strong offense is not the best defense. Make sure you either work on your theories or have a constant companion with a quick protego to cover your back. Otherwise I fear you won't survive."

"Good support for your shielding theories against dark creatures Mr Lupin. Make sure to stick close to your friends in a fight, especially Mr Black- he needs as much help as his cousin."

"Ms Malfoy, as usual brilliant and very thorough, but note I asked for an essay NOT a thesis. Keep in mind I have other students' work to grade and can glance through a thesauras if I ever desire to know every synonym for 'protect'. Next time keep it concise and appropriate length or I'll start docking points for being insufferable."

Hermione glanced down blushing as the professor dropped her 'O' essay on her desk with a loud thunk and crooked grin. The professor then turned sharply to the still guffawing Charles.

"Oh Mr. Mortius, if only that was your problem. Ignoring your questionable theories, one would think with all the drivling poetry you had to write for your 'Housewitch Anonymous' class you'd be able to at least compose a proper sentence." He sighed loudly, "How will you ever find a good wizard if you can't even spot a run-on?"

"Oi! My plum tart already caught a beautiful lass in Rave-"

"Mr Mortius, please trust me when I say, no matter how accomplished your culinary skills are, you won't hold the attention of a Ravenclaw lady if you can't spell 'Protego'." He paused to consider, "Unless she considers red marking your work as foreplay, in which case: spot on.

"Now, laughter and questionable Ravenclaws aside, it's time to start our class. Apparently the ministry has decided students need to learn about boggarts, and while I find it in poor taste to make upperclassmen who have more tangible fears face a boggart, I would rather your first time be in a controlled environment instead of in a battle or during your NEWTS. Keep in mind, while I enjoy embarrassing you about your abilities to write, I take no pleasure in seeing the true fears of young men and women. I will ask you all to be discrete with what you see."

After he demonstrated the wand movements and incantation, making everyone practice until he was satisfied, he summoned an old shaking cupboard.

"Alright Ravenclaw whisperer," He motioned Charles forward with a flourish, "You're up."

Charles' mundane mother and baby sister were lying dead on the floor, a death eater cackling above them.

Charles turned white and shaking as students gasped, stepping away. Professor Graftwood pressed forward, putting his hand on Charles' shoulder.

"Remember it is not real, Mr Mortius. You can do this- show us you're more than just an excellent chef."

Charles nodded, set his shoulders and stormed forward, wand waving, "RIDIKULUS!"

The image of his little sister suddenly lunged forward biting the death eater on the ankle, while his mother started kneeing the masked villain in the family jewels. The whole class exploded with laughter.

"Fantastic job Mr Mortius! Next."

A sulking Snape was next cursing Lily as a Mudblood. He quickly was dressed in Badger spirit gear with Hermione's badger hat roaring on his head.

"RIDIKULUS!"

A blood thirsty Druella was being chased by a giant howler.

"RIDIKULUS!"

The moon became a wheel of swiss cheese that a mouse ran off with.

"RIDIKULUS!"

The Bones' all slumped over dead began to do the can-can.

On and on it went, all fears horrifying and gritty- no spiders or mummies-, being chased away to the best of the students abilities while their friends and professor cheered them on.

Hermione nervously stepped forward, watching the boggart shuffle through her greatest fears, not seeming to settle on one in it's confusion. Mama and Papa blaming her for their deaths blinked away in an instant to all those she loved lying brutally murdered at her feet while calling her a monster, before suddenly it found it's mark. A young man with dark messy hair and green eyes was kneeling before her whom she had not seen in 11 years.

Hermione felt the sob wrench from her throat as she fell down in front of him pulling him to her chest, blocking him from curious eyes.

"You lie. You swore an oath to be my blood sister, but you left me- alone to die."

Hermione hushed him as she murmured gently into his hair, "Oh Harry- my Harry. It's not true; your soul and mine are bound. You are not far behind."

"You failed Mione. You failed us all. So many dead, and he still rises again. And me- I was never born. You destroyed my very existence. You made it worse!"

"No Harry! No, I am setting it right. And you will be born into a world where you are safe, a better world then we knew. I know you will exist, any other option is just... ridiculous."

Boggart Harry jerked in her arms, shrinking in size. Mione watched transfixed as slowly it turned into a toddler with bright green eyes. He reached up towards her.

"Auntie."

Hermione picked him up and spun him in the air as he giggled and she threw her head back and laughed- brightly, vibrantly. The tiny boggart trembled in her hands and flashed out of existence.

The room was silent as the students and professor just gaped at the laughing Malfoy heiress with tears streaming down her face, who had killed a boggart.

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

The girls lied about in various positions in the Room of Requirements completely exhausted, having finished a rigorous session of magic manipulation. Hermione huffed as she tried for the third time to swat a wayward blonde curl out of her face. They were definitely getting better- she could move the magic between all four of them if they were touching or pass it back and forth between one other from cross the room. She was hopeful she would have the technique down by Halloween, then it was just a matter of practice, strategy, and mastering battle spells.

Lily let out a sigh from somewhere to Mione's right, " Have you guys thought about what to wear for the Halloween ball in a few weeks?"

Amei groaned, "Dumbledore just mentioned it this morning. I'll, probably just wear a mask and match to whatever Regs is doing."

Bella snickered, "You guys are so boring. I already have it all mapped out."

Hermione rolled over to face Bella, "When did you have time to do that?"

"History of Magic of course!"

"And here I thought you were taking notes for once!"

Bella snorted at the blonde witch, "You're the only one who takes notes in that class. Even Lily gave up on it by fifth year."

Lily giggled, "It's the most boring class ever. The only reason anyone takes the NEWT level is for the easy 'O'. Well, unless you're a swot like Mione."

Hermione glared and sent a silent pinching hex at the redhead, causing a quick yelp then peals of laughter.

Bella crawled over to Mione, stretching out to use her friend's stomach as a pillow. "Anyway, as I was saying. I have our costumes all mapped out; they're going to be absolutely brilliant."

Amei sat up, curiosity peaked, "What are they?"

Bella gave a mischievous grin, "It's a surprise Bones! I'll take care of getting them put together and ready on my own, but I know you'll love them. Are you girls in?"

Amei shrugged, "Even better than my original plan; I don't have to worry about anything."

"Sure. With all of the tension going on Sev and I decided not to be too obvious about dating, so while we're still going together we don't plan on matching."

"No."

Bella tensed, "What do you mean, no?"

Hermione eyed the messy head of dark curls on her stomach, "I mean no! I spent too many years playing dress-up with you as child to be fooled. I have no desire to be a goblin or a troll simply because you're bored Gideon isn't around."

"One time! I made you dress as a goblin one time!"

"And you still have the picture on your dresser!"

Lily laughed, "But you looked so cute with those huge ears on."

Amei leaned over to eye Bella, "I thought she was impersonating a house elf?"

Bella shushed her quickly, "Wrong photo."

Hermione sat up, sending her childhood friend tumbling to the floor, "I thought I'd burned the last one of those!"

"Mama sent me a copy of the one she had smuggled away for safe keeping with my Christmas present 4th year," Bella muttered, shrinking back from her upset friend, "You really did look adorable. All chubby cheeked and determined to save victimized house elves who spew."

"It's S.P.E.W. and I was 7!" Hermione hissed, ignoring a bewildered Lily who was mouthing the acronym to an equally confused Amei.

Bones gave a low whistled, "I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this. I think I can find my own cos-"

Bella turned on her with a glare, "You already gave your word and a Lady always keeps it. I promise it will be brilliant." She turned and gave a leveled look to Mione.

"Not a chance!"

"But Mione, it won't work without you."

Hermione stared down her nose at Bella, "I trust you with my life. I trust you to stand beside me to face down the most vile of evils and follow me to the gates of Hell itself if necessary. I, obviously, trust you with my very magic!" She leaned down so she was eye to eye with her best friend, "But do not think for an instant that I trust you to raise a finger to safeguard my dignity." She stood up and turned on her heel, gliding out of the Room of Requirements. Lily and Amei slumped against each other laughing hysterically while Bella huffed.

However, as the night of the masquerade ball arrived Hermione found her costume missing. She tore first her wardrobe apart, then everyone elses', and finally moved on to every inch of the room. All she found was a damp pile of ash in the corner of the bathroom- destruction so thorough it could not be fixed with a thousand repairos- a single faux ruby glinting in the pile causing Hermione's hackles to rise in suspicion. When she stepped back into the dormroom she saw a pile of gold and tawny fabric shining on her bed- practically mocking. She picked up the mask lying on top of the costume and hissed- "Bella."

She stalked forward through the crowd of dancers and spectators hunting down her prey. Her blonde curls spilling down her back with gems and fabric from her mask creating a breathtaking mane that caught the eye of everyone in her path. She strode past a red haired raven and a pretty little alder chatting with Sev and Regs as she honed in on the wild black mass of hair and badger mask.

"Angry lioness at 3 o'clock," Amos muttered as an aside to his roommate and Zabini.

"I spent weeks picking out that costume Bels," Hermione growled at her roommate.

"And I spent weeks MAKING these, and frankly you look magnificent!"

"That's not the point!" Hermione snarled as she tossed her head, hair and gems swinging about catching the light, "Besides completely ignoring my wishes what you did was underhanded and... And unbefitting a LADY," She plowed on right over Bella's indignant gasp, "You owe me 100 galleons in restitution for my incinerated costume you scheming little witch!" She paused in her rant, "Why do you get to be the badger anyway?"

"Because I most resemble what our house stands for being the most fervent of Puffs," Bella proclaimed ignoring the snickering from their gathered friends, "Besides Lily is a charming Ravenclaw and between you and me Regs is going to show Amei how much he appreciates her pulling for his colors tonight, if you know what I mean. They're a bit too reticent while in school to get the wind in their sails all on their own... And you always did strike me as a bit Gryffindor-ish. Your father and I lost 20 galleons apiece to Mama over where we ended up sorted. No matter how much I tried to outwardly deny it, I subconsciously thought I was doomed for the lion den."

"Come off it! You were more horrified when we landed in Hufflepuff than you ever would have been had we gone to Gryffindor."

"That's because I was taken completely unprepared, but it turned into one of the most beautiful of disasters! I couldn't imagine being anywhere else," her full toothed smile stretched out just below her badger mask as she gestured around to her fellow puffs spattered throughout their gathered friends, "Or with anyone else. That tattered old sorting cap turned out to be brilliant; we're as loyal as they come!"

Everyone raised their glasses in cheers and Hermione with a roll of her eyes and rye smile conceded, raising her pumpkin juice as well.

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

"For the last time Charles, no other male is going to join you in 'Household Wizardry' or whatever that bloody class is called-"

"Language Mr. Zabini!" Scolded an irate Professor McGonagell from the bleachers.

"Sorry Professor," Zabini mumbled before turning back to his co-commentator, "So quit badgering us all!"

Charles huffed into the mic, "I'll have you know that we in Hufflepuff won't stand for such a derogatory use of the word 'badger!' " Boos and hissing from the yellow stands emphasizing his point, "It is a noble animal! Furthermore- Oi was that a point?"

Hermione giggled as Ravenclaws cheering turned to muttered exasperation. Those two never quit.

Zabini jerked his head around back towards the pitch, "Great job Charles! We missed it."

There was a soft groan and the mic made a high pitch whine.

Zabini chuckled, "Hufflepuff is still ahead by over 60 pts you prat, it's not that big of a deal."

Silence met his statement causing Hermione to pause in her cheering, where was Charles' witty quib?

Zabini seemed to notice the lack of reply as well, puzzled he turned back to face the seat beside him, "Come now, don't be such a git, you badgers aren't unfoulable despite- Charles? Charles!? CHARLES!"

Amei dropped the quaffle at the shout, Hermione raised her hands to her mouth stifling her shriek. Charles was slumped over his seat, unmoving, as a panicked Zabini tried to shake him awake. Professors McGonagall, Haven, and Dumbledore rushed towards the box.

"PROFESSOR, HE'S NOT BREATHING! PROFESSOR! PROFESSOR! HELP! SOMEBODY HELP!"

"All students return to your dormitories." Professor Dumbledore boomed into Zabini's abandoned mic, "The game is over. Move, NOW!"

The students began scrambling out of the bleachers, people falling every which way in the stampede, fearful cries ringing out. Hermione stood firm as the students surged around her, clutching a tearful Lily to her side. Amei, Bella, and Amos landing beside them as they watched the chaos in the commentator box across the field from them unfold.

No one in Hufflepuff slept that night, waiting for news from the hospital wing. They all sat huddled together in the common room, mugs of hot chocolate clasped in trembling hands. Lily and Bones tried to keep the underclassmen calm, but Hermione could see the strain and worry in their eyes as well. Her head shot up as the common room entrance finally opened. Professor McGonangall bustled in, starting a bit as she saw the whole house waiting up. She moved towards the fire, a very grim expression on her face.

"Professor Havens is with Charles' family right now. I -" She cleared her throat and seemed to struggle over what she was trying to say.

"Charles, he..."

"Is he going to be ok?" Hermione pressed gently, unable to bear much more.

McGonagall composed herself, looking Mione in the eye before meeting the looks of the others, "Mr Mortius was hit by the killing curse." She stated softly, her eyes began to glisten as the shock and horror moved about the students, some of the underclassmen whimpering. "It is a great tragedy to not only your house, but this school. I, " She took a calming breath, "I will not rest until I find out who did this. Now, you all will be excused from classes in the morning, but I still expect you to get some rest." She began conjuring giant mattresses around the common room, "I believe you will all do best together for the night. I will be in Professor Havens' study until he returns if you need me."

Hermione moved to the nearest mattress and laid down, tears filling her eyes as the soft thumps of her friends and fellow housemates doing the same sounded about the room. She reached over the two quietly crying first years snuggled next to her to clasp Bella's hand. Gold eyes met black as they nodded in understanding, gently hushing the two young students between them. They'd find who did this, and nothing would save the scum from their vengeance.

The announcement came the next day at the breakfast in the Great Hall. The whole hall was somber, only a faction of the Slytherins seemed unaffected. Hermione glanced their way, lips curling in a snarl, _'Death Eaters.'_

The morale in Hufflepuff was dismal and worst of all was Amos, sleeping in the common room, unable to face an empty dorm room. The pretty Ravenclaw Charles had wooed with his infamous plum tart was red eyed and barely attempted to do more than just move her food about her plate. Zabini moved like a shell of himself, not even Sev could shake him out of it. Hermione noticed the three Slytherin boys draw in on themselves; they were plotting something, and Hermione was hesitant to guess at what.

At dinner that night Hermione continued to eye the Syltherin table intermittently, not having to fain listening to a conversation given there were none going on at the moment at Hufflepuff table. Whatever the three boys were discussing caused Zabini to slam his drink down and storm away from the table, his face a stormcloud. Remus shot her a look- it seemed she wasn't the only one noticing their friends odd behavior- and motioned towards the exit. She shook her head, and stood up, a girls touch was probably best.

She hurried after Anthony, making her way towards the dungeon where he'd most likely fled. She was nearing the potions room when she was suddenly yanked into an alcove. She would have swung if she hadn't recognized the cologne.

"Worried for me Malfoy?"

Hermione huffed, turning to face him, "Is that so wrong?"

Zabini slumped against the wall, "Probably not." He sighed then smacked his fist against the wall, "I'm just so frustrated! I know it was one of my housemates! Hell, one of my dormmates. They just don't trust Sev and I to tell us their plans beforehand. I couldn't protect him! And then Sev and Reg come up with this ridiculous plan, and I can't fake kiss up to the guy who did that to one of my best friends! I just can't."

Hermione stared at him puzzled, the wheels in her head turning as she attempted to figure out the boys scheme, "What are Sev and Reg up to."

Zabini looked away quickly, "Never mind, " He muttered quietly, "It's nothing you need to worry about."

Hermione glared at him stubbornly, she couldn't have them running off half cocked. "If you guys-"

"Quiet!" Zabini hissed, pulling her close. Hermione looked up at him indignantly until she heard indistinct chatter getting closer.

"- the looks on their faces. All so sad that the halfblood died! Filth, to think such noble blood would mix with some bitch mundane."

"I should have put him down years ago. Oh well, better late then never. Do you think the Dark Lord will accept me higher into the ranks now?"

"Killing a half breed right under old Dumbledore's nose? Oh he'll give you charge of a whole team of Juniors once we graduate, no doubt!"

Hermione gripped on Zabini's arm tightly, he was starting to breath heavy, his face tight with rage, matching her own. She let Zabini go, heading over to break some necks as the blood pounded in her veins in time with her anger, but he caught her, holding her fast.

Finally the tension left him, and he leaned down to Hermione's level. "Do you trust me?" He whispered softly. Hermione nodded sharply, eyeing him curiously, "Then once I leave, count to 60 then head to the Potions Prep Room. Stay there until I join you." He squeezed her shoulder before moving silently out of the shadows, coming up behind the two Slytherins casting a quick confundus charm.

He smiled warmly, wrapping his arms about their shoulders conspiratorially, "You two are just the Slytherins I was looking for! I saw that bloodtraitor Malfoy heading into the Forbidden Forest, probably to gather some stupid ingredients for her NEWT potions assignment. I think it's time someone goes and roughs up Lucy's precious little angel, if you catch my meaning. We'll never get another opportunity like this one. Why, Voldemort himself would - " The rest cut out as the three Slytherins moved out of range.

Hermione swallowed down the bile and counted softly to herself, then she slowly made her way down the Potions corridor.

It was well past midnight, her dormmates probably frantic by now, when Zabini reappeared. The door to the prep room banged open, startling Mione out of her reverie. Her head snapped towards the entrance to see Anthony limp in, his leg bandaged with his tie, uniform and hair in complete disarray, blood splattered. Hermione hurried over to him, already chanting a healing charm for the busted knee.

"Where have you been; I was worried sick." She growled as she fussed over him, straightening his appearance.

"Why I've been with you all night, working on our potions homework. Haven't I?"

Hermione shot him a look, before her face crumbled and she nodded, "Yes of course. We've finished our essays and even had time to prep for tomorrow's class."

Zabini flashed her a roguish smile, "That's right; I never left your sight! Now, look at the time. You need to head to bed, no amount of studying is going to help you pass me in potions." With a wink he stood up and headed back for the door.

"Anthony," Hermione called gently as she followed him out, "Did you- Is everything-"

"I've taken care of it," Zabini replied firmly before turning away. "Goodnight Malfoy."

"Night Zabini."

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

"That's it Albus!" Minerva bellowed as she paced Dumbledore's office, "We have to close the school."

"That is preposterous Minnie," Albus huffed, "This is the safest place in the wizarding world. I'm the only one Voldemort fears."

"He might," Minerva snapped, "But his followers sure don't! That's three students, in one month Albus."

"The other two were mauled in the Forbidden Forrest. It's forbidden for a reason Minnie."

"I've never seen such an animal who could flay a person quite like that!"

The Headmaster sighed as he slumped back into his desk chair, "I haven't seen a spell that could do that either. All students were accounted for that night besides. Unless you think Mr Zabini is covering for Ms Malfoy- Potions Prep indeed."

Minerva bristled, "She is an exemplary student and her brother one of Voldemort's greatest thorn in the side. I don't know what you have against her, but she is no Death Eater. If someone was going to cover for her it would have been her dormmates anyway, Hufflepuffs stick together."

"I didn't say she was; more that she is a Malfoy, and Malfoys tend towards revenge. If she thought those two were the ones who killed Mr Mortius, then well... She's never been a white witch."

"If you watched that nest of snakes half as hard as you did Ms Malfoy I'm sure you would have sniffed out all of the murdering afoot long before it happened!"

"There is nothing wrong with wanting to know what side the most powerful witch of this age is on."

"She's not on the dark side!"

"Yet it doesn't seem she's on mine either and vigilante justice is not how Hogwarts operates."

Professor Flitwick stepped up, "That's enough speculation. Regardless, student well-being is in jeopardy. We can't have Death Eaters here in our midst, even junior ones."

Dumbledore rubbed his temples, "Voldemort doesn't mark the ones still at school. And despite the recent casualties this school is still safer than the rest of England. What would you have me do?"

Minerva leaned against a wall, fight draining from her, "I don't know. But remember Albus, the enemy of our enemy tends to be a friend."

-#-

-The Magic Time Forgot-

-#-

The beating on the Hufflepuff common room entrance woke Amos from his sleep on the couch. He reached for his glasses, trying to right them on his face. Unsure of the commotion he sent a patronus to Professor Havens' quarters, with a quick prayer his pregnant wife wouldn't strangle him for disturbing her sleep. He eyed his four year mates still deeply slumbering on a conjured mattress near the fire, smiling fondly at their bullheadedness.

He sidled up to the entrance, bracing himself, wand at the ready before opening the passage. He was flummoxed to see Anthony stagger in blood flowing down the side of his face, trunk barely levitating behind him.

He slumped forward, Amos lunged to catch him. They both fell heavy to the floor, Amos not expecting the complete collapse of Zabini. The noise woke the four girls with a start, Lily, Bella, and Amei muttering mutinously, while Hermione scrambled upright wand at the ready. Her war senses having reawakened in the past few months.

Professor Havens bustled out from behind the portrait blocking the entrance to his quarters, gently moving his curious students aside. "What is going on here? Mr Zabini?"

"I'm no longer welcome within Slytherin," Anthony coughed out, blood at the corner of his mouth, "Can I crash here?"

Professor Havens regarded him sternly, trying to see if there was anything hidden going on. He finally nodded his consent, "Of course, there is plenty of space in Amos' dorm for company. I will talk with Professor Slughorn in the morning. Now let me take a look at you, make sure you don't need to head to the hospital wing." He turned to few the surrounding students, "The rest of you head to bed; there is nothing to see here." He gave them a fond smile, "Your real beds please."

Hermione nodded and trudged after her friends, Lily muttering in worry for her boyfriend, who should have appeared with Zabini. Mione put a comtforting arm around her as Bella herded them all upstairs, hoping all would be explained in the morning.

And in a way, it was.

"And I never want to see your face again you stupid mudblood!" Severus spat, shoving Lily away from him.

"As if the line of Prince would ever mix with blood such as yours," Regulus hissed knocking the books from her hands. The other Slytherins around them jeered, laughing at the fuming Hufflepuff. Reg turned, grabbing Severus to head down the corridor where they ran into Sirius and Potter. James having come to find Lily to run by the patrol rosters as Head Boy and Girl.

Regulus rammed his shoulder into his older brother's as he passed, "Out of my way blood traitor! Before you taste what Zabini did."

James took in the situation fast, eyeing Lily and the tears trekking down her face. He grabbed Severus by the collar and rammed him against the wall, "What did you do Snivellus?!"

"None of your business Potter," Severus snarled, "Just putting the bitch in her place."

Potter roared before bringing his fist violently into the side of the Slytherin's face. He followed Severus to the ground, sitting on his chest and pummeling his face. Regulus lunged to pull him off, but was caught up by Sirius who started grappling with him. The other three Slytherins in the corridor charged forward, tackling the Gryffindors.

This was the scene Hermione and Remus stumbled across, an all out free for all with a sobbing Lily crumpled by the wall. Remus looked torn on where to start, but Mione immediately began wading into the fray, throwing people left and right with her wand until she had everyone separated.

"What the hell is going on!" She yelled, temper at it's end.

"They were bullying Lily," Potter growled, blood trickling from him mouth as his eye already began swelling shut.

She was confused, why would Slytherins bullying Lily cause Sirius and James to turn on members of their own study group. Something was not right here, and she knew exactly who she needed to talk with.

"Remus," Mione barked, "Take Lily to her common room. Sirius and James, get back to Gryffindor now! You can go over patrol times with Lily later, I'll send her up there personally." She pointed to Pucy, MacNair, Parkinson, and Regulus, "Get out of my sight before I report you to McGonagall or castrate you myself. Bullying a girl, you should be ashamed." The four glowered darkly before fleeing, "And you." She grabbed Snape by his shoulder before he could slink away, "Are coming with me."

"Get your hand off me you blood traitor!" Snape hissed.

Stunned, Mione let go for an instant before reaching out again and snagging him by his hair. She waited for the hall to vacate before dragging him backwards into an empty classroom. She locked the door and warded it for privacy before turning to face her sullen friend.

"Talk, before I ensure your bloodline ends here." Hermione snapped, fingering her wand delicately.

Snape eyed her gruffly, "I have no idea what you're on about."

Mione advanced threateningly, "Bull. You know exactly what I'm talking about, Zabini- your best friend- now residing in Hufflepuff; your girlfriend needing to be defended from you by a Gryffindor." She watched him closely, his face was impassive, but his fists were clenched, knuckles whitening. "What you just called me. You're no more enamored with bloodlines than I am; so what's going on?"

He remained quiet while she circled him, "Is this part of what you, Anthony, and Reg had been scheming since Charles died."

He flinched and Hermione leaned in, "Now Severus!"

"Someone has to know what they're going to do before they do it!"

Hermione stared him down, waiting for the rest.

He slumped against a chair defeat in his voice, "Zabini couldn't stomach even faking it, but Reg and I, we can do it. We have to."

Hermione gaped a him, struggling for words, "A spy? You and Regulus are going to spy? On Voldemort?"

"Yes."

She reached forward and smacked him upside the head, "Are you crazy! You could die. If He finds out, you WILL die!" She tried to calm herself, "Zabini knows?"

Severus sighed, "Yes. It was his idea for Regulus and I to thrash him to get 'in' with the Death Eaters in the house. He's the only one who knows, and possibly Sirius. I don't know if Regs has decided to tell him or not." He looked her in the eyes, asking a vow, "You know what it means if this gets out."

Mione nodded, "On my life, not a word," She swallowed thickly, "Not even to Lily."

Severus nodded, undid her wards, and headed for the door.

"Do you have to do this?" She whispered.

Sev paused, his hand on the doorknob, "It's the only way I can save her. I have to save her. Lily has no protection, no name to hide behind. She's just a Mudblood to them, and they'll kill her with no warning unless I know and get to her first. Even if she hates me forever, it will be worth it if she lives."

Hermione watched him leave, tears in her eyes. The shadow of the old Professor Snape she'd known superimposing over this one, Sev, for just a moment. She was vaguely aware of the door swinging shut.

He was good, he had always been good. Everything made sense. It was all for her- every lifetime.

She slumped against the desk and just began to cry - for herself, her friends, her family, all torn to pieces and scattered at the whim of a mad man.

* * *

 _AN: I hope the wait was worth it and you all enjoyed the chapter. As always I love reading your reviews and greatly appreciate them._

 _If you didn't notice, I went back and rewrote the first chapter. I wasn't happy with it and after reading some of your reviews I found I wasn't the only thinking something was off about it. Still not fully satisfied with it, but I like it much better. Take a look at it if you're curious and let me know what you think._

 _Just three more chapters to go! Things are going to start moving even faster._


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